A nursing home needs to share information with a medical clinic regarding a patient that is being transferred to the clinic. Which information should be contained within the HL7 message titled PPR?
A. Diagnosis
B. Patient identification
C. Observation information
D. Patient visit
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Patient identification.
HL7 (Health Level 7) is a set of international standards for the exchange of healthcare information between systems. The PPR (Patient Problem Resolution) message is used primarily to communicate information about a patient’s identity, their medical history, and specific health problems. The primary focus of the PPR message is to share essential patient data for resolving issues related to the patient’s care, particularly when they are transferred between facilities or healthcare providers.
Explanation:
The PPR message type specifically emphasizes patient identification information. It is designed to ensure that the receiving healthcare provider, such as a medical clinic, can correctly identify the patient and align their medical records with the corresponding individual. This helps prevent errors in care, such as mistaking one patient for another or mixing up medical histories.
While the PPR message can also include diagnosis, observations, and visit-related details, the most critical piece of information needed in this context is the patient’s identification. This is because accurate identification is necessary for the clinic to verify that the correct medical records are transferred, preventing any confusion during the transfer of care.
- Diagnosis (A) and Observation information (C) are typically included in other types of HL7 messages, such as ORM (Order Message) or ORU (Observation Result Unsolicited) messages, which focus more on diagnostic results and clinical findings.
- Patient visit (D) would also be relevant, but again, it is not the main focus of a PPR message. It is more commonly included in visit-related message types like ADT (Admit, Discharge, Transfer) messages.
In summary, the PPR message primarily carries patient identification to ensure continuity of care during patient transfers and prevent any misidentification, which could result in medical errors.