The Canberra Hospital uses positive patient identification to significantly reduce errors when collecting pathology samples

Authors: Ryan Mavin, Sandra Cook and Peter O'Halloran, ACT Health

ABSTRACT: To provide greater patient safety and deliver better outcomes, today’s healthcare providers need to “capture” the identification of their patients and clinicians at the points of care. Positive patient identification is especially important in busy clinical areas and where mis-identification could lead to adverse events. Using GS1 standards as the needed foundation, ACT Health and The Canberra Hospital are identifying their patients, lab and pathology samples in addition to care providers to ensure accuracy in patient-care processes throughout each patient’s journey within their hospital. As a result, there has been more than a 40% reduction in wrong-blood-in-tube incidents based on clinicians scanning GS1 barcodes when collecting pathology samples.
The Canberra Hospital uses positive patient identification to significantly reduce errors when collecting pathology samples (pdf 1.25MB)