What identifiers are commonly used to match patients in Phreesia during check-in?

• A. Email address only
• B. Full name, date of birth, phone number, and patient ID/MRN when available
• C. Appointment date and time
• D. Social security number only

Answer: (B)

In check-in, matching a patient reliably comes from using a combination of identifiers rather than any single item. The strongest set is full name, date of birth, phone number, and patient ID/MRN when available. This works well because names and DOB can be shared by different people, but the patient ID or MRN is unique to each patient in the practice, giving a clear anchor. The phone number adds another verification point, though it can change over time. Email alone isn’t enough since it can be shared or not on file, appointment date and time aren’t personal identifiers and can overlap for many patients, and Social Security numbers are highly sensitive, often not collected for routine check-in and not used as a primary matching key.