How does the user find a specific patient in the Epic system to return orders?

To locate a specific patient in the Epic system when returning orders, using the patient’s last name and first name is an effective method. This approach allows the user to leverage the comprehensive identification system in place within Epic, which typically links a patient’s records and orders to their full name. This method is especially useful in environments with a high volume of patients, as it helps to reduce ambiguities associated with common last names or initials.

Searching by last name followed by first name narrows down the results significantly, leading to a more efficient retrieval process compared to broader search criteria.

In contrast, while entering the Order ID directly could seem efficient, it requires prior knowledge of that specific identifier and may not be applicable in situations where the user does not have it on hand. Searching by Date of Birth may also have limitations, especially in cases where there are multiple patients with the same date of birth. Selecting medication first doesn’t directly contribute to locating a patient since it relates to the order rather than patient identification. Thus, using the patient's last name and first name is the most straightforward and reliable option for finding a specific patient in Epic.