Assessing Knowledge and Compliance of Patient Identification Methods in a Specialized Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract Background: Patient misidentification prevails in daily practice and remains a critical issue in health care. Being knowledgeable about how to accurately identify patients and comply with identification processes is critical, particularly in countries where patients have similar names. A study was undertaken to examine the knowledge levels of and compliance with the patient safety goals and policies and procedures of the clinical and nonclinical staff. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey and an observational audit design were used at a specialist and research hospital in the Saudi Arabia to assess knowledge levels and compliance rates of appropriate patient identification methods. Results: The majority of healthcare providers (n = 350, 87.1%) and almost half of non-healthcare providers (n = 186, 47.8%) reported high levels of knowledge of patient identification standards, including the need to use two patient identifiers. However, audit results revealed that health-care providers used two identifiers in only 33 observations (18%), with the majority (147 observations, 82%) of health-care providers checking the patient's name only and not his/her medical record number. Conclusion: The results highlight the need for further attention to improper identification of patients, including understanding the causes and ways to enhance the translation of patient identification standard into practice.