I am amazed that Jonathan Kay's laboratory does not require address. It is
the address which often aids us in patient mix up, it not uncommon to have
two patients of the same name in a surgery, OPD, ward etc. Our addressograph
labels carry address, and handwritten request forms may quote wrong chart
numbers etc, so the address is a key identifier.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Kay
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2001 12:59 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Design of laboratory request form
1 Entering the patient details on a request form doesn't
breach the DPA. The
requesting clinician and the receiving laboratory need to be
registered under
the Act.
2 Entering the patient details on a request form doesn't
breach patient
confidentiality by any current ruling or guidance. However
when committees
look at this issue it is often questioned whether
laboratories need to know
the patient identity rather than, for example, a
clinician-assigned accession
number.
3 In Oxford we don't ask for patient addresses for
biochemistry, haematology
or immunology, we do for microbiology (but I wouldn't).
4 It's good practice to have an anonymisation procedure for
VIPs, staff, GUM
etc.
Dr Jonathan Kay
Chairman, Informatics Committee, Royal College of
Pathologists
"Neely, Jeremy" wrote:
> Re design of request form for GP;s
> Does anyone have any information/feelings regarding
inclusion of patients
> address on these forms ?
> Does having this information on the form breech patient
confidentiality or
> Data Protection Act etc.
