What can misidentification of a patient lead to?

Misidentification of a patient can have serious consequences in a healthcare setting, one of which includes the risk of a malpractice lawsuit against the phlebotomist. When a patient is not correctly identified, the potential for errors in diagnosis and treatment increases significantly. For example, if a blood sample is misattributed to the wrong patient, it could lead to inappropriate treatment based on incorrect lab results. This negligence can result in harm to the patient, whether through receiving unnecessary procedures or missing critical treatments, which opens the door for legal actions against the healthcare provider responsible for the error.

In contrast, while misidentification may lead to decreased lab efficiency or increased sample testing time, these consequences do not carry the same legal weight or implications as a potential malpractice lawsuit. Additionally, misidentification does not improve patient trust; rather, it undermines it, as patients expect accurate identification and appropriate care.