From: Horst Herb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Each EMR needs a unique person identifier code, I think nobody will
object that.
Concur.
>To allow exchange of EMRs (portability), these UPICs have to be not
only unique
Helpful, but not at all essential, actually.
>but also allocated always by the same algorithm.
Definitely not required. If the algorithm is good and free of course
everyone might see the sense of using it, butthe NHS will clearly
stick to its 10 character (all digit) string of which the last
haracter is a check digit.
Uses modulo 11 arithmetic to produce it, helping to protect against
typos.
I posted code for checking these a couple of years ago, and for
producing numbers that validate in case anyone wanted some. (to test
their system of course)
Search GP-UK archives or ask me. In VB3
>It is obvious, that the chances for duplicates will still be high
>if you don't use a clearinghouse for those UPICs when the population
is
>large enough.
Strangely, no. however the numbers are large to avoid that and may
not be user-friendly.
I refer to the guid that is used in a lot of MS code.
A combination of the issuing place, and a 4 byte(?) number is very
unlikely to collide, and much less so if each loation doesn't reissue
any numbrs.
