Patient register numbers are assigned in numerical sequence until which event occurs?

• A. Until the facility is closed down
• B. On a calendar year basis
• C. Based on local policy
• D. On a fiscal year basis

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that patient register numbers serve as a unique, continuous identifier for each patient throughout the facility’s operation. Numbers are issued in strict numerical order as patients register, and this sequence persists across the life of the facility rather than being reset at arbitrary intervals. It ends only when the facility ceases operations, because there would be no new registrations to assign numbers to. This approach preserves a clear, unbroken record trail for retrieval and archival purposes. If the numbering were reset annually or by policy, it could create duplicate or conflicting identifiers and make it harder to track a patient’s history across time.