Background
Connecting Health and Care for the Nation: A Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap is the result of a nationwide effort to identify policy and technical actions needed to realize the ONCHIT vision of a seamless data system (Source: https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/hie-interoperability/nationwide-interoperability-roadmap-final-version-1.0.pdf Page iv). For this assignment you are to read the Executive Summary of the Roadmap (pages i xvii) and information related to technical component L. Component L starts on page 36 and describes Accurate Individual Data Matching as one of the technical steps to achieving interoperability. As stated in the report: Whether aggregated in a repository or linked just in time electronic health information from disparate sources must be accurately matched to prevent information fragmentation and the incorrect merging of records. As technology evolves provider identities system identities device identities and others that support public health and clinical research will need to be accurately matched. (ONCHIT. Connecting Health and Care for the Nation: A Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap. 2015.).
In addition to the information required in the roadmap you are to read the resource articles that discuss patient mapping found above.
Correct patient identification and matching are crucial if we are ever to be able to access patient information from different points of service and to create a workable HIE. From the basic articles provided you will see that this activity while crucial for patient care and information sharing is not done very well.
Assignment
https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/hie-interoperability/nationwide-interoperability-roadmap-final-version-1.0.pdf
https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/patient_identification_matching_final_report.pdf

Patient Matching in Health Information Exchanges

Survey: Patient Matching Problems Routine in Healthcare