A healthcare data analyst wants to analyze patient data using a primary key. What is an appropriate primary key for this application?

Rationale

Patient health record number is an appropriate primary key for this application.

The patient health record number uniquely identifies each patient in the database, ensuring that records can be accurately linked and retrieved without ambiguity. Primary keys must be unique and non-null, making this option the most suitable for managing patient data.

A (Patient height) YOUR ANSWER

Patient height is not a suitable primary key because it can vary among patients and is not unique; multiple patients can share the same height. Additionally, height can change over time, leading to complications in maintaining data integrity.

B (Patient age) YOUR ANSWER

Patient age is also not appropriate as a primary key since it is not unique; many patients can have the same age. Moreover, age changes annually, making it a poor choice for a permanent identifier in a healthcare database.

C (Patient health record number) CORRECT

This choice is the correct answer as it serves as a unique identifier for each patient, thus fulfilling the requirements of a primary key. It remains constant throughout the patient's interactions with the healthcare system, ensuring reliable data management.

D (Doctor identification number) YOUR ANSWER

While a doctor identification number can be unique, it does not serve as a primary key for patient data analysis. This identifier pertains to healthcare providers rather than patients, thus failing to meet the requirement of linking data specifically to individual patients.

Conclusion

In summary, a primary key must uniquely identify records within a database. The patient health record number fulfills this criterion by providing a constant and unique identifier for each patient. In contrast, patient height, age, and doctor identification numbers lack the necessary uniqueness or relevance for effective patient data analysis.

A healthcare data analyst wants to analyze patient data using a primary key. What is an appropriate primary key for this application?

Patient health record number is an appropriate primary key for this application.

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