How to Merge Duplicate Patient Records

Quick Answer

Merging records cannot be easily reversed. Always verify both records belong to the same patient (same DOB, gender, photo) before proceeding.

What Problem Does This Solve?

The same patient is sometimes registered twice in SystmOne with slightly different details — name spelling variations, typos in the IC number, or ID changes after document renewal. This guide shows how to safely merge duplicates into a single master record.

Before You Start

Prerequisites

1. Administrator or Front Desk Supervisor role
2. Both records confirmed to belong to the same patient — verify these match before merging:
   • Date of Birth
   • Gender
   • Physical appearance (check photo if available)
   • Address or contact details

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Retrieve the record with the wrong IC number

Search and open the incorrect patient record

1. Use Quick Patient Search Ctrl + F or the Appointment Ledger.
2. Search by name, partial IC, or phone number.
3. Open the record that has the incorrect or outdated IC number.

Can't Find the Duplicate?

Search by the patient's name instead of IC. Duplicates often have different ICs but similar or identical names.

2

Navigate to Change IC Number

Access the security-controlled procedure

From the patient record menu, go to:

Patient → Patient Maintenance → Security Controlled Procedures → Change IC Number

Admin Access Required

This menu is only visible to users with administrator or front-desk supervisor permissions.

3

Enter the correct IC number

Type the accurate identification number

1. In the Change IC Number dialog, enter the correct IC.
2. This IC should match the other duplicate record you want to keep.
3. Click Next to proceed.

4

Review the Merge Patients dialog

System shows both records side-by-side

The system automatically detects the duplicate and displays:

• Record A (current record with wrong IC)
• Record B (existing record with correct IC)

Review all data carefully:

• Name variations
• Contact details
• Clinical history completeness

Stop If Uncertain

If you are not 100% certain both records belong to the same person, cancel the merge and verify with the patient directly.

5

Confirm the merge

System consolidates all data into one record

1. Click Confirm Merge.
2. The system will combine all clinical data into the record with the correct IC.
3. You will see a success message when complete.

Merge Applied

The merge process is fully applied 1 day after confirmation. All clinical data, appointments, medications, and lab results are preserved.

Troubleshooting

Spelling variations in name

Example:

• NOOR HANA BT AHMAD (IC: 900101-01-1234)
• NUR HANA BINTI AHMAD (IC: 900101-01-1235)

Solution: Correct one IC to match the other, then merge.

Passport or ID renewal

Issue: Foreign patients may have ID changes after passport renewal.

Solution: If the new ID number is not found during search, search by name instead — the patient may be registered under their previous ID.

Married women with surname changes

Issue: Female patients registered before and after marriage with different surnames.

Solution: Search by maiden name or date of birth to find potential duplicates, then merge records.

Best Practice

Always document the merge action in the patient's journal with a note explaining which records were combined and why.