Probabilistic Versus Deterministic Data Matching: Making an Accurate Decision

Consider the following scenario: One night paramedics wheel a man named John K. Spenser into a hospital emergency room where admitting staff work to determine his medical history. Because the facility had not invested in an effective identity matching solution, a query of the hospital database and area medical centers does not correctly identify the patient as John K. Spencer (different spelling). To further complicate matters, because there wasn't a match, the medical staff was not aware of an important medical detail that could mean the difference between life and death: Mr. Spencer has a history of anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction to Penicillin and clot-busting drugs used after heart attacks.