[QR-Code based patient tracking: a cost-effective option to improve patient safety]

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Patient Safety
• Health Information Technology

Background:

• Hospitals increasingly use preoperative checklists for risk management to prevent patient and surgery mix-ups.
• This study focuses on a specific patient identification method using patient-fixed media to store data.
• Current trends emphasize improving patient identification accuracy and efficiency in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of using 2D QR codes for patient identification in clinical settings.
• To compare the speed and accuracy of QR code-based patient identification with traditional methods.
• To assess the feasibility of integrating QR code technology into routine hospital procedures for patient tracking.

Main Methods:

• 127 Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeries were analyzed.
• Patient identification data was encrypted into 2D QR codes, presented as separate documents or wristbands.
• Decoding time, data compliance, and overall identification duration were compared against traditional patient chart inspection.

Main Results:

• 125 QR codes were successfully read.
• QR code decryption averaged 5.6 seconds, with screen display for identification taking 7.9 seconds.
• Traditional patient identification from charts took an average of 27.3 seconds, significantly longer.
• Six relevant information errors (0.6%) were noted across 8 data classes per QR code.

Conclusions:

• QR code-based patient identification offers a cost-effective technical solution for electronic patient data.
• The system demonstrated feasibility for clinical routine use, complementing existing identification wristbands.
• Potential disadvantages include misinformation from incorrect/missing health information system (HIS) data or data changes post-code creation.