Are you sure your patient is alive? (4 December 2023)

Summary

In this video and accompanying transcript, clinical decision support researcher F Perry Wilson looks at the importance of health records and databases indicating whether or not a patient is deceased. If they are not up to date and sharing this information with the right staff and processes, inappropriate messages can be sent to healthcare professionals or the deceased patient's family. He argues that as well as being a waste of resources, sending communications requesting procedures or offering appointments in this situation undermines confidence and trust in health systems, in both staff and members of the public.