Which term refers to a database that uniquely identifies patients as they move among health care providers?

• A. Interoperability
• B. Master Patient Index (MPI)
• C. Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
• D. CPOE

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is how patient identity is managed across multiple care settings. The term that refers to the database uniquely identifying patients as they move among providers is the Master Patient Index. An MPI acts as a central reference that assigns and stores a unique patient identifier along with key demographic details (such as name, date of birth, and contact information) to link a patient’s records from different organizations. This enables accurate patient matching, so a single patient’s data from various clinics and hospitals can be assembled into one longitudinal record, reducing duplicates and the risk of misidentification.

Interoperability describes the ability of different systems to exchange and use data, which is essential for sharing information but is not the mechanism that uniquely identifies patients. Electronic Health Records are the digital charts kept by a specific provider or network, containing patient data but not by itself ensuring cross-provider identity matching. CPOE refers to the system used to enter and transmit patient care orders electronically, and it does not address patient identification across settings.