What is an MRN?
A medical record number (MRN) is a unique identifier assigned to a patient in an electronic health record (EHR), practice management, or healthcare IT system. The MRN is used to keep track of medical history, diagnoses, treatments, and other important information related to patient care.
How is an MRN Assigned?
Medical record numbers are assigned at a healthcare facility by their system that manages demographic data. MRNs can be alphanumeric and are typically generated by the healthcare provider's electronic health information technology (HIT) systems.
The MRN serves as a reference point for all or the patient's medical records. MRNs are used to access and update the patient's health information across multiple visits and interactions with the healthcare system. It can also serve as a unique identifier across multiple HIT systems.
How Patients Can Find Their MRN
The MRN is primarily used as an identifier for electronic healthcare systems. However, patients can find their MRN on documents they receive in the course of care.
Some documents that usually feature both a patient’s name and their MRN include:
Patients unsure of their MRN should contact their healthcare provider to inquire about how it can be found.