Authors (including presenting author) :
Kwong KK(1)(6), Tang WL(2), Tai CW(3), Wong PY(4)(6), Wong WY(5)(6), Lau CW(6), Aboo GH(6)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, RTSKH
(2) Department of Clinical Pathology, HKEC
(3) Biomedical Engineering Services, HKEC
(4) Accident & Emergency Department, PYNEH
(5) Quality & Safety Office, TWEH
(6) Quality & Safety Office, HKEC
Introduction :
HA hospital mortuaries have been using RFID system with the Mortuary Information System to ensure correct identification since 2010. Although the measures were in place to ensure correct release of bodies at the mortuary viewing room, incidents of wrongly swapping of deceased bodies still happened during the high-volume period in the 5th wave of COVID-19 in early 2022.
Objectives :
To initiate an additional electronic verification system of HKID working together with the RFID system to further enhance correct patient identification and verification in the deceased body collection procedure.
Methodology :
A review of the current practice in the PYNEH Mortuary conducted in June 2022 showed that although identifier tags of deceased patient were read by RFID reader and shown on the display screen in viewing room, the particulars were verified visually and manually only by mortuary staff, without safeguarding by electronic verification. To ensure the correctness of identification with electronic means, a verification step with the HKID card when the body is claimed, with automated reading with a HKID card by Optical Character recognition (OCR) scanner and verification with the existing RFID body tagging system, was suggested to achieve automated identity verification. The enhanced system can (1) identify the HKID card of deceased patient; (2) capture the patient information from HKID card; (3) verify the patient particulars; and (4) provide the verification result.
Result & Outcome :
The project proposal was supported in various management committees, CQ&SO and the Department of Clinical Pathology with positive feedback. Cluster Biomedical Engineering Services was consulted to investigate the product specification to meet services need. Cluster IT was invited to study the clinical and technical workflow. Advice on product compatibility, tendering, vendor ability and procurement assessment from Cluster P&MM was sought. Subsequent staff training, SOP, maintenance, and contingency plan were developed accordingly upon the enhanced system is implemented. The project would undergo trial at PYNEH in 1Q 2024 and extended to other hospitals if worthwhile to enhance correct identification.
