How about the following:
First digit would be
0 = female
1 = male
next 8 digits are the D.O.B. (as best can be determined!) with the year first
(4 digits), followed by month (2 digits) followed by day (2 digits)
this will allow easy sorting by sex, then age
next is two digit code for race (and more specific)(excuse but this is truly
arbitrary, no intention for leaving anyone out, just trying to be brief,
sorry if politically incorrect..but you get the point) 00 =
white/causcausian; 01 = black/african american; 02 = american indian; 03 =
hispanic/puerto rico; 04 = hispanic/latin american; 05 = mexican; 06 =
Indian/India-Pakistan; 07 = Oriental/Chinese;
08 = Oriental/Japanese; 09 = Australian/Aborigine....etc....etc..
This will allow sort even now for specific populations and can account of 99
specific classifications (this would be the only item people would have to
look up or have a pull down box/menu for at input time).
Next, first 4 letters of Last name (given at time of birth, adopted would be
adopted last name) (if Name is only 1 letter, 2 letters or 3 letters, just
complete 4 letter code with a Z)
Next, first 3 letters of First name (given at time of birth) (if Name is
only 1 letter, 2 letters, just complete 3 letter code with a Z)
Therefore a code for a patient that has the following information will be:
Male, 32 years old DOB 3/31/1969, white, John Doeh
11969033100DOEHJOH
Female, 65 years old DOB 4/01/1936, black, Monica Jamison
01036040101JAMIMON
Female, 1 year old DOB 2/14/2000, hispanic, Abigayle Mendez
02000021403MENDABI
In running all sorts of sorting programs and problems this process seems to
work. Just enough information to provide variability, not too much to become
unweildy. I think this will work. Duplicate numbers will be nearly
impossible,
especially with a relatively closed population of say 100,000 to 200,000.
With millions I'm not 100% sure, but I think it likely will hold true and be
a stable
Unique Patient Identifier coding system. That won't be too hard to use.
Please look this over and let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Alan Falkoff, M.D., D.A.B.F.P.
High Ridge Family Practice, LLC
Committee Chairman Stamford IPA Information Technology Search Committee
