Question

William Wood is admitted for surgery on February 2 and assigned patient number 567890. On March 5 he returns for outpatient testing and is assigned patient number 678900. Records for the two encounters are contained in separate folders in two different locations in the file area. What type of numbering is being used?

Answer 1

The medical records numbering system where William Wood was assigned different numbers for each visit is serial numbering, leading to separate folders for his records.

Step-by-step explanation:

The type of numbering being used in the scenario where William Wood is assigned different patient numbers for separate hospital visits is known as serial numbering. This system assigns a unique number to a patient for each visit or admission to a healthcare facility. Every time he is admitted or comes for testing, a new patient number is generated, which can result in multiple records for the same patient being kept in different locations.

This contrasts with a unit or serial-unit numbering system where a patient keeps the same number for all encounters, resulting in a single cumulative record. Serial numbering can make it more challenging to track a patient's medical history, as seen by Wood's records being in separate folders.

The use of separate folders in different locations for each encounter indicates that the medical records are being organized based on the serial number of the patient, allowing for easy retrieval and storage of records.