Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute document GP33-P--Accuracy in Patient and Sample Identification; Proposed Guideline describes the essential elements of systems and processes required to ensure accurate patient identification. The principles in this document may be applied to manual or electronic systems. Design considerations covered include criteria for accuracy, differences in inpatient vs outpatient settings that impact patient identification, language and cultural considerations, and standardization of processes across the health care enterprise. Guidance on system implementation and user training is included. Validation of patient identification systems/programs and ongoing monitoring as a quality measure are also covered. This document is intended for health care providers who will design, select, implement, monitor, and evaluate patient identification systems.