A person may have more than one name that they use. At least one name must be recorded for each person. Each name recorded must have one or more appropriate Person name type associated with it. Record all that are required.

One name is sufficient; however, where the person offers more than one name, clarification should be obtained from the person to ensure accurate identification of the person and recording of the various names. The currently used name, as well as names by which the person has previously been known, should be recorded if these are known.

Field value definitions for Person name type codes are:

CODE 1   Preferred name is the name by which the person chooses to be identified.
There should only be one preferred name recorded for a person. Where the person changes their preferred name, record the previously recorded preferred name as an Alias name. Preferred name is the default name type (i.e. if only one name is recorded it should be the person’s preferred name). There must be a preferred name recorded except for unnamed newborns where the newborn name is the only name recorded.
Also, if the person is a health care client, record his/her Medicare card name if different to the preferred name, and any known alias names.

CODE 2   Medicare name for a health care client, this is the person’s name as it appears on their Medicare card. The name stated on the Medicare card is required for all electronic Medicare claim lodgement. If the preferred name of the person is different to the name on the Medicare card, the Medicare card name should also be recorded. For an individual health care provider, this is the person’s name registered by Medicare (Health Insurance Commission).

CODE 3   Newborn name: type is reserved for the identification of unnamed newborn babies.

CODE 4   Alias name is any other name that a person is also known by, or has been known by in the past; that is, all alias names. This includes misspelt names or name variations that are to be retained as they have been used to identify this person. More than one alias name may be recorded for a person.

National Health Data Committee

National Community Services Data Committee

AS5017 Health Care Client Identification, 2002, Sydney: Standards Australia