6 Identifiers

In health care messaging and healthcare generally it is vitally important that the correct test, procedure, report etc is done on the right patient and the results are consigned to the appropriate person.  The use of identifiers plays a major role in ensuring clinical safety in messaging and the healthcare system.

The representation of healthcare identifiers used for patient, provider organisation and health identifiers in HL7 V2.x messages uses the common attributes of HL7 Table 0203 - Identifier Type and User-defined Table 0363 - Assigning Authority below.


HL7 Table 0203 - Identifier Type 

ValueDescriptionComment
ACSNAccession IDAccession Identifier
AMAmerican ExpressDeprecated and replaced by BC in v 2.5.
AMA

American Medical Association
Number

A physician identifier assigned by the AMA.
ANAccount numberAn identifier that is unique to an account.
ANONAnonymous identifier

An identifier for a living subject whose real identity is protected or suppressed
Justification: For public health reporting purposes, anonymous identifiers are occasionally used for protecting patient identity in reporting certain results. For instance, a state health department may choose to use a scheme for generating an anonymous identifier for reporting a patient that has had a positive human immunodeficiency virus antibody test. Anonymous identifiers can be used in PID 3 by replacing the medical record number or other nonanonymous identifier. The assigning authority for an anonymous identifier would be the state/local health department.

ANCAccount number Creditor

Class: Financial
A more precise definition of an account number: sometimes two distinct account numbers must be transmitted in the same message, one as the creditor, the other as the debitor.
Kreditorenkontonummer

ANDAccount number debitor

Class: Financial
A more precise definition of an account number: sometimes two distinct account numbers must be transmitted in the same message, one as the creditor, the other as the debitor.
Debitorenkontonummer

ANTTemporary Account Number

Class: Financial
Temporary version of an Account Number.
Use Case: An ancillary system that does not normally assign account numbers is the first time to register a patient. This ancillary system will generate a temporary account number that will only be used until an official account number is assigned.

APRN

Advanced Practice
Registered Nurse number

An identifier that is unique to an advanced practice registered nurse within the jurisdiction of a certifying board

ASIDAncestor Specimen ID

A unique identifier for the ancestor specimen. All child, grandchild, etc. specimens of the ancestor specimen share the same Ancestor Specimen ID.

BABank Account NumberClass: Financial
BCBank Card Number

Class: Financial
An identifier that is unique to a person’s bank card. Replaces AM, DI, DS, MS, and VS beginning in v 2.5.

BCTBirth Certificate

A number associated with a document identifying the event of a person’s birth.

BRBirth registry number

An identifier unique within the Assigning Authority that is the official legal record of a person's birth.

BRNBreed Registry Number 
BSNR

Primary physician office
number

Betriebsstättennummer - for use in the German realm.
CCCost Center number

Class: Financial
Use Case: needed especially for transmitting information about invoices.

CONMChange of Name Document

A number associated with a document identifying a person’s legal change of name.

CZCitizenship Card

A number assigned by a person’s country of residence to identify a person’s citizenship.

CYCounty number 
DDSDentist license number

An identifier that is unique to a dentist within the jurisdiction of the licensing board

DEA

Drug Enforcement
Administration registration
number

An identifier for an individual or organization relative to controlled substance regulation and transactions.
Use case: This is a registration number that identifies an individual or organization relative to controlled substance regulation and transactions.
A DEA number has a very precise and widely accepted meaning within the United States. Surprisingly, the US Drug Enforcement Administration does not solely assign DEA numbers in the United States. Hospitals have the authority to issue DEA numbers to their medical residents. These DEA numbers are based upon the hospital’s DEA number, but the authority rests with the hospital on the assignment to the residents. Thus, DEA as an Identifier Type is necessary in addition to DEA as an Assigning Authority.

DIDiner’s Club cardDeprecated and replaced by BC in v 2.5.
DFN

Drug Furnishing or
prescriptive authority Number

An identifier issued to a health care provider authorizing the person to write drug orders
Use Case: A nurse practitioner has authorization to furnish or prescribe
pharmaceutical substances; this identifier is in component 1.

DLDriver’s license number 
DNDoctor number 
DOOsteopathic License number

An identifier that is unique to an osteopath within the jurisdiction of a licensing board.

DPDiplomatic PassportA number assigned to a diplomatic passport.
DPMPodiatrist license number

An identifier that is unique to a podiatrist within the jurisdiction of the licensing board.

DRDonor Registration Number 
DSDiscover CardDeprecated and replaced by BC in v 2.5.
DVW DVA Card - White

Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs White card number.

DVGDVA Card - GoldAustralian Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold card number.
DVODVA Card - OrangeAustralian Department of Veterans' Affairs Orange card number.
DVVeterans numberAustralian Department of Veterans' number.
EIEmployee numberA number that uniquely identifies an employee to an employer.
ENEmployer number 
ESNStaff Enterprise Number

An identifier that is unique to a staff member within an enterprise (as identified by the Assigning Authority).

FIFacility ID 
GIGuarantor internal identifierClass: Financial
GLGeneral ledger numberClass: Financial
GNGuarantor external identifierClass: Financial
HCHealth Card Number 
JHN

Jurisdictional health number
(Canada)

Class: Insurance
2 uses: a) UK jurisdictional CHI number; b) Canadian provincial health card number:

INDIndigenous/Aboriginal

A number assigned to a member of an indigenous or aboriginal group outside of Canada

LACSNLaboratory Accession ID

A laboratory accession id is used in the laboratory domain. The concept of accession is used in other domains such as radiology, so the LACSN is used to distinguish a lab accession id from an radiology accession id

LANRLifelong physician numberLebenslange Arztnummer - for use in German realm.
LILabor and industries number 
LNLicense number 
LRLocal Registry ID 
MAPatient Medicaid numberClass: Insurance
MBMember Number

An identifier for the insured of an insurance policy (this insured always has a subscriber), usually assigned by the insurance carrier.
Use Case: Person is covered by an insurance policy. This person may or may not be the subscriber of the policy.

MCPatient's Medicare numberClass: Insurance
MCDPractitioner Medicaid numberClass: Insurance
MCNMicrochip Number 
MCRPractitioner Medicare numberClass: Insurance
MCTMarriage Certificate

A number associated with a document identifying the event of a person’s marriage.

MDMedical License number

An identifier that is unique to a medical doctor within the jurisdiction of a licensing board.
Use Case: These license numbers are sometimes used as identifiers. In some states, the same authority issues all three identifiers, e.g., medical, osteopathic, and physician assistant licenses all issued by one state medical board. For this case, the CX data type requires distinct identifier types to accurately interpret component 1. Additionally, the distinction among these license types is critical in most health care settings (this is not to convey full licensing information, which requires a segment to support all related attributes).

MIMilitary ID number

A number assigned to an individual who has had military duty, but is not currently on active duty. The number is assigned by the DOD or Veterans’ Affairs (VA).

MRMedical record number

An identifier that is unique to a patient within a set of medical records, not necessarily unique within an application.

MRT

Temporary Medical Record Number

Temporary version of a Medical Record Number
Use Case: An ancillary system that does not normally assign medical record numbers is the first time to register a patient. This ancillary system will generate a temporary medical record number that will only be used until an official medical record number is assigned.

MSMasterCardDeprecated and replaced by BC in v 2.5.
NBSNR

Secondary physician office number

Nebenbetriebsstättennummer - for use in the German realm.
NCTNaturalization Certificate

A number associated with a document identifying a person’s retention of citizenship in a particular country.

NENational employer identifier

In the US, the Assigning Authority for this value is typically CMS, but it may be used by all providers and insurance companies in HIPAA related transactions.

NHNational Health Plan Identifier

Class: Insurance
Used for the UK NHS national identifier.
In the US, the Assigning Authority for this value is typically CMS, but it may be used by all providers and insurance companies in HIPAA related transactions.

NI

National unique individual
identifier

Class: Insurance
In the US, the Assigning Authority for this value is typically CMS, but it may be used by all providers and insurance companies in HIPAA related transactions.

Note: In Australia is use for the Individual Healthcare identifier (IHI)

NII

National Insurance
Organization Identifier

Class: Insurance
In Germany a national identifier for an insurance company. It is printed on the insurance card (health card). It is not to be confused with the health card number itself.
Krankenkassen-ID der KV-Karte

NIIP

National Insurance Payor Identifier (Payor)

Class: Insurance
In Germany the insurance identifier addressed as the payor.
Krankenkassen-ID des Rechnungsempfängers
Use case: a subdivision issues the card with their identifier, but the main division is going to pay the invoices.

NNxxx

National Person Identifier where the xxx is the ISO table
3166 3-character (alphabetic) country code

 
NOI**National Organisation IdentifierIn Australia is use for the Healthcare Providers Organisation identifier (HPI-O) or General Supporting Organisation (GSO) / My Health Record (PCEHR) Assigned Identity for Organisations (PAI-O) / Contracted Service Provider (CSP)
NPNurse practitioner number

An identifier that is unique to a nurse practitioner within the jurisdiction of a certifying board.

NPINational provider identifier

Class: Insurance
In the US, the Assigning Authority for this value is typically CMS, but it may be used by all providers and insurance companies in HIPAA related transactions.

Note: In Australia is used for the Healthcare Providers Individual identifier (HPI-I)

NPIONational provider at organisation identifierAn identifier that is unique for an individual healthcare provider at a healthcare organisation. It is the concatenation of a HPI-I identifier followed by an "@" and then a HPI-O identifier. e.g. "800361XXXXXXXXXX@800362YYYYYYYYYY"
ODOptometrist license number

A number that is unique to an individual optometrist within the jurisdiction of the licensing board.

PAPhysician Assistant number

An identifier that is unique to a physician assistant within the jurisdiction of a licensing board

PCParole CardA number identifying a person on parole.
PCN

Penitentiary/correctional
institution Number

A number assigned to individual who is incarcerated.
PE

Living Subject Enterprise Number

An identifier that is unique to a living subject within an enterprise (as identified by the Assigning Authority).

PENPension Number 
PIPatient internal identifierA number that is unique to a patient within an Assigning Authority.
PNPerson numberA number that is unique to a living subject within an Assigning Authority.
PNT

Temporary Living Subject Number

Temporary version of a Lining Subject Number.
PPIN

Medicare/CMS Performing Provider Identification Number

Class: Insurance
An Identifier for a provider at a location in the CMS/Medicare program. This identifier type is only unique within the context of a location. The location is not integral to the identifier, it must be derived from the message context/content (e.g., this identifier associated to a location by association in a message or a message segment.)

PPNPassport number

A unique number assigned to the document affirming that a person is a citizen of the country. In the US this number is issued only by the State Department.

PRC

Permanent Resident Card Number

 
PRESPrescriber NumberA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriber identifier assigned to an individual that identifies the right to act as a prescriber under that scheme.
PRNProvider number

A number that is unique to an individual provider, a provider group or an organization within an Assigning Authority.
Use case: This allows PRN to represent either an individual (a nurse) or a group/organization (orthopedic surgery team).

PTPatient external identifier 
QAQA number 
RIResource identifier

A generalized resource identifier.
Use Case: An identifier type is needed to accommodate what are commonly known as resources. The resources can include human (e.g. a respiratory therapist), non-human (e.g., a companion animal), inanimate object (e.g., an exam room), organization (e.g., diabetic education class) or any other physical or logical entity.

RPHPharmacist license number

An identifier that is unique to a pharmacist within the jurisdiction of the licensing board.

RNRegistered Nurse Number

An identifier that is unique to a registered nurse within the jurisdiction of the licensing board.

RRRailroad Retirement number

An identifier for an individual enrolled with the Railroad Retirement Administration. Analogous to, but distinct from, a Social Security Number

RRIRegional registry ID 
RRPRailroad Retirement Provider

Class: Insurance
An identifier for a provider register within the CMS/Railroad Retirement Administration/Medicare program (a subprogram of the CMS/Medicare)

SIDSpecimen ID

Identifier for a specimen. Used when it is not known if the specimen ID is a unique specimen ID (USID) or an ancestor ID (ASID).

SLState license 
SNSubscriber Number

Class: Insurance
An identifier for a subscriber of an insurance policy which is unique for, and usually assigned by, the insurance carrier.
Use Case: A person is the subscriber of an insurance policy. The person’s family may be plan members, but are not the subscriber.

SPStudy Permit

A number associated with a permit identifying a person who is a resident of a jurisdiction for the purpose of education.

SRState registry ID 
SSSocial Security number 
TAXTax ID number 
TNTreaty Number/ (Canada)

A number assigned to a member of an indigenous group in Canada.
Use Case: First Nation.

TPR

Temporary Permanent
Resident (Canada)

A number associated with a document identifying a person’s temporary
permanent resident status.

UUnspecified identifier 
UPIN*

Medicare/CMS (formerly HCFA)’s Universal Physician
Identification numbers

Class: Insurance
An identifier for a provider within the CMS/Medicare program. A globally unique identifier for the provider in the Medicare program.

USIDUnique Specimen IDA unique identifier for a specimen.
VDIVendor Directory IdentifierA unique vendor identifier allocated to a provider directory entry (PractitionerRole or HealthcareService), typically used for routing secure messages
VNVisit number 
VPVisitor Permit

A number associated with a document identifying a person as a visitor of a jurisdiction or country.

VSVISADeprecated and replaced by BC in v 2.5.
WCWIC identifier 
WCNWorkers’ Comp Number 
WPWork Permit

A number associated with a permit for a person who is granted permission to work in a country for a specified time period.

XXOrganization identifier 

* UPIN must be used for Australian Medicare Provider numbers.

** NOI is not present in the most recently published table of HL7 0203 in HL7 v2.8.2, though it is has been accepted for publication in HL7 V2.9. The allocation of these identifiers is not always at the correct level of granularity and many organisations are not registered and alternative identifiers are often used. Pathology Labs are identified using the AUSNATA code with their NATA Organisation Accreditation number.

References: 

  • METeOR 290046, ‘Person identifier’, 
  • METeOR 270101, ‘Medicare card number’,
  • METeOR 339127, ‘Dept of Veterans’ Affairs file number’.

User-defined Table 0363 - Assigning Authority

Value
Description
Comment
AUSHICMedicare Australia 
AUSDVADept of Veteran’s Affairs 
AUSNATANational Association of Testing Authorities, Australia 
AUSLINKAustralian CentreLink 
AUSHICPRMedicare Australia provider number 

Note: Values will be added to this list as needed


Table 6-1. Identifier examples

IdentifierData typeExample FieldMessage contentComment
Patient Identifiers    
Medical record numberCXPID-3|7654321^^^RMH^MR|In this example the assigning authority is "RMH" and the use of the assigning authority is to provide uniqueness of the patient identifier.
Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI)CXPID-3|8003608833357361^^^AUSHIC^NI|

 

Medicare number and IHICXPID-3|2345678901^^^AUSHIC^MC~8003608833357361^^^AUSHIC^NI| 
Centrelink customer reference numberCXPID-3|456789012T^^^AUSLINK^AN|METeOR identifier 270098 http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/270098viewed9May2012 viewed 2nd August 2016.
Health Care CardCXPID-3|302668868J^^^^HC|Should be used in compliance with legal regulations and legislation.
Medicare Card NumberCXPID-3

|4496818481^^^AUSHIC^MC|
|21882253741^^^AUSHIC^MC|
|21882253741^^^AUSHIC^MC^^^200706|

(10 digit number example)
(11 digit number example)
(11 digit number with expiry date)

 For further details refer to: METeOR 270101 http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/270101 viewed 2nd August 2016.

Department of Veterans AffairsCXPID-3

|VX26655^^^AUSDVA^DVG|

|NPSM268^^^AUSDVA^DVO|

|QX123268^^^AUSDVA^DVW|

|WX123268^^^AUSDVA|

First character= state code (N, V, Q, W, S or T with ACT included in NSW (N) and NT included in SA (S)).

Second to 4th alpha characters = war code; if war code is 1 character then the following numeric identifier will be six digits; if war code is 3 characters the following numeric will be 4-6 characters. The total war code plus numeric identifier equals 7 characters.

DVA card type: DVW = white; DVO = orange; DVG = gold.
 

For further details refer to: METeOR 339127 http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/339127 viewed 2nd August 2016.

Driver's licenceCXPID-3|34567890^^^QLD^DL| 
PassportCXPID-3|N4567890^^^AUSTRALIA&AUS&ISO^PPN^^20060401^20160401| 
Pension cardCXPID-3|123456789JA^^^^PEN| 
Centrelink Customer Reference NumberCXPID-3|123456789T^^^AUSLINK^AN|Should be used in compliance with legal regulations and legislation.
Provider identifiers    
Medicare Provider numberCMPRD-7|049960CT^AUSHICPR^UPIN| 
 XCNPV1-7

|2345678P^JONES^SUSAN^W^^DR^^^AUSHICPR^^^^UPIN|

 
Medicare Prescriber numberCMPRD-7|049960CT^AUSHIC^PRES| 
 XCNPV1-7|049960CT^GREEN^Fred^P^^DR^^^AUSHIC^^^^PRES| 
Healthcare Provider Individual (HPI-I)CMPRD-7|8003619900015717^AUSHIC^NPI| 
 XCNPV1-7|8003619900015717^SMITH^Helen^S^^Dr^^^AUSHIC^^^^NPI| 
Healthcare Provider Individual at an Organisation NPIOCMPRD-7|8003619900015717@8003621566684455^AUSHIC^NPIO| 
 XCNPV1-7|8003619900015717@8003621566684455^SMITH^Helen^S^^Dr^^^AUSHIC^^^^NPIO| 
Organisation identifiers    
Healthcare Provider Organisation (HPI-0)XONORC-21|ABCD Organisation^L^8003621566684455^^^AUSHIC^NOI|