Which index serves as the authoritative key in locating a health record?

The master patient index (MPI) serves as the authoritative key in locating a health record because it is a comprehensive database that links all patient-related information within a healthcare system. The MPI ensures that each patient is assigned a unique identifier, which helps to minimize duplication and confusion among patient records. This central index is crucial for maintaining accurate and accessible health information, enabling healthcare providers to efficiently retrieve a patient’s health history, treatment plans, and other pertinent data across different departments and facilities.

The importance of the MPI also lies in its role in integrating various health data sources, facilitating seamless communication and care coordination. By ensuring that each entry in the MPI correlates to the correct individual, it significantly enhances patient safety and confidentiality, which are paramount in healthcare settings.

In contrast, while other indices like disease indices track specific conditions, patient directories provide information about patients currently admitted, and patient registries collect detailed information about particular diseases or conditions, they do not serve as the central point for patient identification across the entire healthcare system. The MPI is specifically designed to be the foundational reference for identifying and linking patient records, which underscores its role as the authoritative key in locating health records.