Creating a unique patient identification number for every person in the United States would facilitate a reduction in medical errors, simplify the use of electronic medical records, increase overall efficiency, and help protect patient privacy, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Although creating such an identification system could cost as much as $11 billion, the effort would likely return even more in benefits to the nation's healthcare system, according to researchers from RAND Health.
"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 and a senior principal researcher at RAND. "The alternative is to rely on a system that produces too many errors and puts patients' privacy at risk."
