Minimization of patient misidentification through proximity-based medical record retrieval

Patient misidentification in point-of-care environments can cause serious errors in medication dispersal, blood transfusions, and procedures, leading to patient injury or death. Pre- and post-operative care locations are especially susceptible to these types of errors due to the high volume of patients, as well as the short turnaround time. Proximity-based, on-demand pairing of patients to records may potentially save time for physicians and nurses, as well as reduce the incidence of error in medication and procedure administration. A cost-effective system has been developed that wirelessly pairs patients with their medical records, and allows confirmation through visual feedback. Patients wear an embedded device that electronically stores critical information such as hospital ID, blood type, and allergies. Base stations, or nearby computers, provide on-demand color-coded lists of patients within a limited range, allowing point-of-care providers quick and accurate access to patient information.