True or False: A patient who has been seen multiple times at your hospital should have multiple patient records in Epic.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not Sure
• D. Not Applicable

Answer: (B)

In Epic, patient identity is managed to keep one chart per person, with every visit and data point linked to that same chart. This single patient record concept ensures a complete, continuous history across multiple encounters, meds, allergies, lab results, and diagnoses. Epic uses tools like the Master Patient Index to match demographics and merge duplicates when needed, preventing fragmentation. If a patient had multiple records, important information could be scattered, leading to missed drug interactions, incomplete history, or duplicated orders, which can compromise safety and care quality. Therefore, the statement is not correct—a patient should have one consolidated patient record in Epic.