The AF Form 788 (series), Inpatient Record, is filed using which filing system?

• A. Terminal digit (by the patient’s inpatient register number)
• B. Numerically, by the inpatient unit
• C. Terminal digit (by the sponsor's social security number)
• D. Alphabetically, by inpatient unit

Answer: (C)

Filing inpatient records using terminal digits of the sponsor’s SSN is the method. In this system, the record is organized by the sponsor’s social security number, with the terminal digits determining the primary grouping and the remaining digits used to break ties within that group. This setup makes inserting new records easier and keeps retrieval tied to the patient’s identity without needing to search by unit or unit name. It’s not arranged by inpatient unit numerically, alphabetically by unit, or by an inpatient register number, which would complicate long-term storage and access. Thus, terminal-digit filing by the sponsor’s SSN is the correct approach.