When editing a master patient, which statement is true?

• A. It is safe to change age and sex whenever needed
• B. It is recommended not to change age, sex, historical encounters, and diagnosis
• C. You should always update all demographic data when editing
• D. You should delete the patient and recreate

Answer: (B)

Preserving historical data and identity integrity is essential when editing a master patient. Age and sex anchor a patient’s identity and timeline, and altering them can misalign encounters, tests, billing, and analytics, making the record unreliable. Historical encounters and diagnoses represent the patient’s medical history and should remain intact to maintain a truthful, continuous record. Changes should go through approved governance with appropriate documentation and an audit trail rather than casual edits, and deletions that erase history are avoided because they sever linkages to past care. For these reasons, the recommended approach is not to change age, sex, historical encounters, or diagnoses without proper justification and oversight.