Team Up for Patient Safety
Team up for patient safety: Our goal is to involve the patient in positive patient identification.
Positive patient identification has always been a priority here at Moffitt, and an internal task force came together to discuss the best way to address patient safety from the patient's perspective. This initiative was in response to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that identified the occurrence of identification errors as a critical problem in the health care system. The IOM recommends, among other things, that a concerted effort be made to improve the public's awareness of the problem. The concept of patient and patient’s family participation is important because their role can be vital in the effort to ensure the most appropriate care is delivered.
What is Positive Patient Identification?
Patient identification is simply a way of verifying that you are getting the right care, for the right person. You will notice that many quality health care institutions, such as H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, print an armband with your name and birth date. This enables you the patient to be identified correctly and for our staff to be able to verify your identity throughout the course of your treatment. That is why your role in verifying the information on your armband is essential. Simple errors such as Bobby Smith, Bob E. Smith or Robert Smith can pose a barrier to the highest quality of care if not corrected. Your armband is an important way to confirm your identity, what you are here for and what type of care is required for your health care provider. The best way to prevent a delay in this process is to check your armband when it is being placed on you. Verify the spelling of your name and that all the information on the band is correct. Expect that our staff will check your armband several times. A simple armband may not seem like a critical part in the process, but it can be your passport to the highest quality of care.
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We at Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute encourage you and your family to work together with your health care provider to ensure that the highest quality of patient care is delivered and to ensure that errors in patient identification are never an issue when it comes to the delivery of your care. We encourage you to take note of our education materials and signage throughout the institution and feel free to provide us with questions or comments. After all, patients who take an active and informed role in the verification of their identity reduce the likelihood of patient identification errors.
Click here to learn more about our Team Up Initiative.