HIQA publishes new guidelines for practitioner identification
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published Recommendations for Unique Health Identifiers for Healthcare Practitioners and Organisations.
The report deals directly with this issue and presents guidance on the introduction of unique identifiers for healthcare practitioners and organisations in Ireland.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Professor Jane Grimson, Director of Health Information with HIQA said: “We have previously recommended the introduction of unique identifiers for individuals so that high quality and reliable healthcare which ensures maximum patient safety can be ensured. However, equally important is a national system for uniquely identifying healthcare practitioners and organisations.”
“Under the proposed system, every health and social care practitioner in Ireland will be assigned a unique number, known as the Health Practitioner Identifier (HPI) which will follow them throughout the course of their career irrespective of whether they change post or move to a new location. Similarly, each health and social care organisation will be allocated a unique number known as the Healthcare Organisation Identifier (HOI).”
“HIQA is recommending that the upcoming Health Information Bill specifically legislates for the introduction of these identifiers through the establishment of a central directory or database which will act as a single authoritative reference point. Having one trusted source of information on all healthcare practitioners will be of benefit from a regulatory perspective and enable the tracking and tracing of practitioners throughout the healthcare system” said Professor Grimson.
The introduction of unique identifiers for practitioners and organisations offers significant safety benefits to people who use services - both in terms of the increased accountability of healthcare practitioners and by improved communication of patient health information.
In addition to patient and frontline service safety gains, healthcare practitioners will benefit from improved communication and a reduction in administration through supporting improved electronic communication of patient information.
Similarly, healthcare organisations and planners will benefit from a reduction in the administrative effort in identifying individuals, in the maintenance of their own identity management system and from improved data and information regarding our health sector.
Taking account of current resources and the availability of data sourced from existing regulatory authorities’ registries, HIQA is proposing that both identifiers be introduced on a phased basis. The Board of the Authority has approved the Report and submitted it to the Minister for Health for his consideration with the expectation that this report will inform the Health Information Bill.
