Linking and Merging EHR IDs

[thomas.beale]

Where I used the term subject_id, I just mean any of those external ids. I think you are using subject_id as the reliable id of a single master instance of a patient’s entry in the demographics system. In that case, your EHR index service DB table needs to be:

• subject_id
• ehr_id
• external_id / patient_id / whatever (potentially N of these)
• location info
• other meta-data

@Dileep_V_S

However the merging of ehr_ids when multiple ones have been created accidentally is a more complex problem. For the sake of clinical accuracy and audit, this will need a workflow and decisions outside the EHR system to validate and document this change before actually doing it within the system

Yes, true - but my knowledge of real hospital systems and contexts tells me that it’s hard (maybe impossible) to escape 100% from this. There always has to be this merge / demerge function in the system.