
**Within Awell, there are two methods to uniquely identify patients:**

1. By `ID` (the Awell patient ID) - This is mandatory, as each patient in Awell is assigned a unique ID.
2. Through business `identifiers` - This is optional and consists of an array of unique system-value pairs, defined by you, that serve as business identifiers.

Learn more about [identifiers](/awell-orchestration/docs/misc/patient-identifiers).

## Request

Two queries can be used to retrieve a patient: one employs the Awell patient ID, and the other utilizes a business identifier for patient retrieval.

### Get patient

**Request:**

```graphql
query GetPatient($patient_id: String!) {
  patient(id: $patient_id) {
    patient {
      id
      profile {
        identifier {
          system
          value
        }
        email
        first_name
        last_name
        name
        sex
        birth_date
        phone
        mobile_phone
        preferred_language
        patient_code
        national_registry_number
        address {
          street
          city
          zip
          state
          country
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```

**Variables:**

```json
{
  "patient_id": "<AWELL_PATIENT_ID>"
}
```

### Get patient by identifier

**Request:**

```graphql
query GetPatientByIdentifier($system: String!, $value: String!) {
  patientByIdentifier(system: $system, value: $value) {
    patient {
      id
      profile {
        identifier {
          system
          value
        }
        email
        first_name
        last_name
        name
        sex
        birth_date
        phone
        mobile_phone
        preferred_language
        patient_code
        national_registry_number
        address {
          street
          city
          zip
          state
          country
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```

**Variables:**

```json
{
  "system": "{{IDENTIFIER_SYSTEM}}",
  "value": "{{IDENTIFIER_VALUE}}"
}
```

## How to use

<HowToUse storyIds={['patient-profile']} />
