Patent US 6,497,358

A method is provided for verification of the identification of a patient undergoing radiation treatment administered by a treatment technologist in a treatment room. An identifying card for the patient is provided which is part of the patient's treatment file and which includes an identifying optical code capable of being read by an optical reader located within the treatment room. The treatment technologist causes the identifying card of the treatment file to be read by the optical reader in the treatment room, and a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the patient and known to the patient and the treatment technologist, is generated in response to the reading of the identifying card when there is a match between the identifying optical code and a stored identifying code for the patient. If an audio signal is generated responsive to reading of the card, both the patient and technologist listen to the signal, and checks are made and treatment of the patient is at least temporarily withheld if the patient and technologist do not agree that the audio signal generated is the characteristic audio signal assigned to the patient. The identifying card also includes a photograph of the patient which is used by the technologist in identifying the patient.