Duplicate patient checks

When a patient is added to Communicare, a series of checks are done in an attempt to identify and prevent duplicate entries.

Important: Ensure that each patient has only a single entry in the database.

When you enter a patient's details into the patient biographics window, Communicare checks the database and displays a list of patients with similar details. If a record matches your new patient, do not add a new record. Instead, continue with one of the listed patients by making a selection from the list.

Communicare attempts to match patient records based on the sound of the family name, the first initial of the first forename, approximate date of birth and sex.

To determine which patients may not be added to the database, additional tests are done on exact family name, the start of the first forename, exact date of birth and sex. If Communicare does not allow you to add a new patient record because it is identified as a duplicate, but you are sure it is not a duplicate, check that all names are complete (including any middle names), and date of birth and sex are specified for both the patient you are attempting to add and the one the system claims is a duplicate.