> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.phbhealth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The HPN

> What the Health Point Number is, what it looks like, and why a patient must only ever have one.

The **Health Point Number (HPN)** is a patient's lifelong number on PHB. It is the same at every hospital, pharmacy and lab.

## What it looks like

An HPN always looks like this:

`PHB-0000-0000-0000`

It is `PHB-` followed by 12 digits in three groups of four. The last digit is a check digit, so PHB can tell straight away if a number was typed wrong.

<Tip>
  When you type an HPN into any PHB box, the dashes are added for you. You only type the digits.
</Tip>

## Provisional and verified

| Status | What it means | What the patient can do |
| - | - | - |
| **Provisional** | PHB has not yet checked the patient's NIN. Common for USSD, desk and no-NIN registrations. | Get care. Book. Be treated. Some features stay limited until the NIN is verified. |
| **Verified** | The patient's NIN was checked. | Everything a provisional HPN can do, plus the features that need a verified identity. |

A provisional HPN is upgraded in place. The number never changes. See [Upgrade a provisional record](/guides/front-desk/upgrade-a-provisional-record).

<Note>
  Online NIN checks may be unavailable at the moment. A patient can still get care with a provisional HPN.
</Note>

## One person, one HPN

A patient should only ever have **one** HPN. A second HPN splits their record in two, and the two cannot yet be merged.

This happens most often when a patient says "I already have PHB" but can't remember the number. If you register them again, they get a second HPN.

<Warning>
  If a patient says they already have PHB, don't register them again. Use **They already have PHB** at the front desk. See [They already have PHB](/guides/front-desk/they-already-have-phb).
</Warning>

## Where a patient finds their HPN

* On the **Home** page of the patient app.
* On the printed slip they got when they registered at a desk.
* In the welcome SMS, if they registered by phone or USSD.

A patient who has lost their number and their phone can try [Recover your HPN or SIM](/account/recover-your-hpn-or-sim).


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.