Patient-specimen identification system using stored associated numbers

A patient-specimen identification system provides error-free identification of a specimen or sample from the time it is taken from a patient to the time when the results of the sample analysis are reported. Machine-readable labels are attached to the patient and to each container in which a sample or sub-sample may be contained. The machine-readable labels each contain a permanently encoded unique random number. When a sample is taken from the patient, the labels attached to the patient and the sample container are read and the two numbers are stored in an associated manner. Similarly, when portions of the sample are transferred to sub-sample containers, labels attached to the sample container and the sub-sample container are read and the two numbers are stored in an associated manner. The sub-samples are analyzed and the analysis results are associated with the number on the sub-sample container label. The analysis results are then correlated to the patient's identity and the analysis results and patient's identity are printed out in an associated manner.