Answer to Question 1
In serial-unit numbering, patients receive a new number each time they are registered by the facility, and records from a previous admission or encounter are reassigned the new number. All patient records are filed in the most current folder in one location. The folders that contain previous patient records remain in the file, and a note identifying the new number is inserted into the folder.
Answer to Question 2
The family number system is often used by health care facilities that treat entire families (primary care clinics, neighborhood health centers, health maintenance organizations, family counseling centers, and so on) because it provides an easy way to track health information on an entire family, even if the family members have different last names. All family records can be retrieved quickly because the information is filed in one folder.