Patient registration is an important function in the healthcare practice because –

• it provides the practice with basic demographic and medical scheme information about the patient;
• it is a legal requirement – section 13 of the National Health Act, 2003; and
• it is an ethical requirement – paragraph 4 of the HPCSA Guidelines on the Keeping of Patient Records – Booklet 9 (September 2016).

This information is used by the practice to determine the level of care the patient will receive, as well as to bill the patient or their medical scheme company for the services rendered.

Legally the Patient Personal Information Sheet must comply with –

• paragraph 4 of the HPCSA Guidelines on the Keeping of Patient Records – Booklet 9 (September 2016);
• sections 13 (Obligation to keep record) and section 19 (Duties of users) of the National Health Act, 2003;
• the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and specifically the Conditions for the Lawful Processing of Personal Information; and
• sections 14 & 16 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002.