| You go into the hospital to have a cancerous leg | | | | Which Leg Did You Say it Was? |
| amputated. They put you out for the surgery and in | | | | What about the wrong leg though? Suppose they |
| what seems like a short time, you wake up and your | | | | have the right patient but that have his or her legs |
| leg is gone. Suddenly a doctor appears at your bed | | | | mixed up? Don't worry either, because there is |
| side and tells you. "I have some good news and | | | | surprising new technology that is now being used to |
| some bad news". "The bad news is that we cut off | | | | make sure these types of mistakes don't happen |
| the wrong leg". The good news though is that new | | | | either. |
| tests came back and you never even had cancer in | | | | Its Time for a Tattoo! |
| the first place"! | | | | For instance now hospitals are using non removable |
| It Has Happened in the Past | | | | bar coded wrist bands to identify patients the same |
| They had you confused for someone else the whole | | | | way that your grocer identifies merchandise at the |
| time! Sound like a crazy joke? The truth is that things | | | | checkout counter. Also, believe it or not, hospitals are |
| like this have actually happened and even worse! | | | | now using temporary tattoos to help prevent |
| People have actually even died as the result of | | | | mistakes during medical procedures as well. |
| mistakes in patient identification. | | | | Look into My Eyes |
| Well Get it Right this Time | | | | There are still other areas being explored for more |
| Now for the really good news. You don't have to | | | | advanced methods of patient identification. Biometrics |
| worry about these types of mistakes happening any | | | | for instance, is one new promising area that would |
| more, thanks to new technologies in patient | | | | identify patients instantly by their fingerprint or even |
| identification. In fact, now it is virtually impossible get | | | | the patterns in their eyes. Who knows what the |
| patients mixed up in a hospital. | | | | future holds in patient identification! |