Prairie North Health Region is changing the patient registration process at Battlefords Union Hospital and Lloydminster Hospital.
Starting March 1, patients will be required to present their valid provincial health services card from their province of residence in order to register for services at BUH or Lloydminster Hospital.
Prairie North Health Region is moving away from the system of blue cards to register patients at these two regional hospitals. Use of the hospital blue cards is being phased out at Battlefords Union and Lloydminster Hospitals.
"This represents a change for many of our patients who have become used to presenting their 'blue card' when they come to either of the two hospitals for care or service," explains Alice Robinson, PNHR director of Health Information Services.
She adds, "The blue card system has been used at both hospitals for a number of years. As we transition to the new system of accepting only a patient's valid provincial health services card, blue cards will no longer be considered by either facility as proof of valid health care coverage."
According to a PNHR press release, the move away from the addressograph blue cards is intended to improve patient identification on patient charts. The new system of labels will improve legibility of patient identification on the charts and on patient identification wristbands, the release states. PNHR says this reduces risk of patient identification errors, thereby improving patient safety.
