Study touts unique patient IDs for every American

A new study from the RAND Corporation has found that creating unique patient identification numbers for every person in the U.S. would lead to reduced medical errors, simplified use of electronic medical records and would help protect patient privacy (Source: “Unique health ID numbers could reduce medical errors, increase patient privacy,” Healthimaging.com, Oct. 22, 2008).

While the pricetage to create the ID system seems daunting (it is estimated to cost upwards of $11 billion), the study from RAND Health concluded that it would be a net savings for the nation’s health care system.

"Establishing a system of unique patient identification numbers would help the nation to enjoy the full benefits of electronic medical records and improve the quality of medical care," said Richard Hillestad, the study's lead author. "The alternative is to rely on a system that produces too many errors and puts patients' privacy at risk."