Promoting Correct Patient Identification in the Intensive Care Unit of a General Hospital in Tabriz, Iran: A Best Practice Implementation Project

Patient identification, defined as the accurate matching of a patient to intended interventions while communicating identity information consistently throughout care, is critical for patient safety. Incorrect patient identification is a leading unintentional cause of patient harm and poses a significant safety challenge in healthcare facilities. This project aimed to enhance correct patient identification in the intensive care unit of a general hospital in Tabriz, Iran. A clinical audit, utilizing the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI PACES) tool, was conducted. Seven audit criteria, representing best-practice recommendations for correct patient identification, were employed. The project involved a baseline audit, the implementation of multiple strategies, and a follow-up audit to assess changes in practice.  Significant improvements were observed in the follow-up audit compared to the baseline audit, including the use of at least two identifiers to check patient identity before care (from 22% to 100%), provision of clear protocols for patients lacking identification or with similar identities (from 17% to 94%), labeling of containers in the presence of patients (from 33% to 89%), education of healthcare workers in correct patient identification procedures (from 33% to 94%), patient education on the importance of correct identification procedures (from 28% to 94%), and utilization of white identification bands or biometric technologies across healthcare facilities (from 6% to 22%).  The application of standard clinical audit tools in hospitals can enhance the quality of patient services and improve the effectiveness of interventions by identifying weaknesses in the patient care process.