Submitted by Steven Gamburg, MD, Chair, Emergency Medicine
It’s important! Remember our Red Rule on INITIATING patient contact, and it’s especially important in the ED at DISCHARGE.
The ED is often referred to as the entrance to the hospital. When our patients “enter” our humble abode, we MUST identify them. This rule must be reiterated since it is of paramount importance. Proper care is dependent on properly identifying patients.
And there can be NO EXCEPTIONS in performing that task.
That’s why we call it a RED RULE!
I want to remind you that proper identification is just as important at the time of discharge from the ED for our patients. Make sure you have the appropriate instructions for the correct patient. Mis-identifying patients either at arrival or when they receive post-ED visit instructions can have dire consequences.
We are striving to provide our patients with a superior experience and confirming their identity is crucial to that effort.