Authors (including presenting author) :
Yuen MSY (1), Kwok FY (1), Siu YCA (1), Chan J (2), Lau J (2)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Accident and Emergency, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong (2) Information Technology Department, Hong Kong East Cluster
Introduction :
Introduction
Throughout the patient journey, failure to correctly identify patient continues to results in medication error, procedure error and discharging patient error. Patient misidentification was ranked Top 5 Risks at the Quality and Safety Department of Cluster. In 2022, there was one deceased misidentification incident occurred in A&E where more than 50 deceased were sent to Public Mortuary at the same time during pandemic. Fortunately, strategies and information technology (for example barcoding and scanning) can improve patient identification and have proven to be cost effective.
Objectives :
Objective
To report on the implementation of improvement measures of deceased identification in A&E
Methodology :
Method
With reference to the in-patient workflow of deceased identification, out-patient workflow in A&E was written and support was obtained from A&E Management and Information Technology Department of Hong Kong East Cluster.
Once patient was certified dead in A&E, the identity of the deceased was identified by the next-of-kin or Policeman, two 2D barcode bracelets were applied. While Physician reported dead to the Coroner and completed the “Medical Exam Form of Pol 42”, Nurse prepared the “Last Office Form”. When the transport to Public Mortuary and Policeman arrived, Patient (deceased)’s identity was checked by Nurse and the Policeman through checking the bracelets of the deceased and the “Last Office Form” with 2D Barcode Scanner, labels were generated and sticked to the documents. Both the deceased and documents were handovered to the Policeman.
Result & Outcome :
To prepare for the above implementation, staff education was duly carried out. Information Technology Department was connected; access to the Last Office Form function in both eAED and CMS system were granted, 2D Barcode Scanner was tested using for the captioned. WIFI system was extended covering the Temporary Mortuary at the outdoor area of A&E. Opinions were sought from staffs and Barriers to implementation were overcome in trial run period in December 2024.
Results
7 deceased were certified dead in A&E from January 2nd to 10th 2025, all were managed according the workflow of deceased identification in A&E and handovered to the Hong Kong Policemen. All deceased were correctly identified. The overall compliance of the new workflow was 100%. Workload was regarded acceptable from staffs’ survey. Implementation was smooth.
Conclusion
Through the use of Barcode Scanner, the improvement measures were feasible and results in correct deceased identification in A&E.
