Patient Identification in the Hemodialysis Unit Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act Approach

Kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) in Indonesia increased from 52,000 in 2016 to 77,000 in 2017. The increase in HD patients should be balanced by the improvement of the quality of service and maintenance of patient safety consistently and continuously. This study determines the cause and solutions of the patient identification achievement that is not yet 100%, as the base to improve the patient identification system in the hemodialysis (HD) unit of Grha Permata Ibu Hospital (GPI) Hospital. Qualitative research using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) approach involving triangulation of data collection, namely observation, documentation, and interviews with the PDSA form from National Health Service (NHS) Improved version as the instrument. Informants were selected by snowball sampling. The PDSA results indicated that the problem cause was the HD team’s lack of understanding of patient identification. This problem can be overcome by socialization and simulation of patient identification: a standard operating procedure for patient identification, implementation of patient identification, patient identification incident reporting flow, and money for patient identification. The problem of identifying patients in the HD unit can be resolved using the PDSA cycle that has been performed. Modifications are required for the next PDSA cycle, consisting of 1) regular socialization and simulation of patient identification; 2) SOP of patient identification in HD unit; 3) implementation of the identification process by involving the patient; 4) reporting and building awareness of realizing a patient safety culture if an incident occurs, and 5) reporting on the achievement of monev data and recommendations for improvement efforts.