The ID medical abbreviation most often means infectious disease, the medical specialty that handles hard to treat, rare or serious infections. In hospital notes, "ID consult" or "ID following" means an infectious disease specialist has been asked to help.
The same two letters have other jobs. ID can mean identification, as in a patient ID band, intradermal, a route that places a tiny amount of fluid within the skin itself, and in developmental and school records, intellectual disability. The meaning depends on where the letters appear. This page shows each use and the look alike I&D.
At a glance
Stands for
Infectious disease; identification; intradermal; intellectual disabilityUsed in
Hospital consults, labs, vaccine and skin test records, school and developmental recordsWhere you see it
Consult notes, wristbands, culture reports, injection ordersWritten as
ID, I.D., or Id in older notesDo not confuse with
I&D, incision and drainage of an abscessSpecialty
Infectious disease medicine
Infectious disease, the main ID medical abbreviation
Infectious disease is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics. ID physicians finish a residency, then spend extra years in fellowship training on bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, how they spread, and how to choose and time antimicrobial treatment.
Primary teams call ID for infections that are severe, unusual or not improving, such as bloodstream infections, bone and joint infections, infections in people with weak immune systems, HIV care, a fever with no clear source, known as FUO, and germs resistant to many drugs such as MDRO organisms. ID doctors also lead hospital programs that guide the wise use of antibiotics and infection prevention teams.
Reading ID in a consult note
| Note line | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| ID consulted for osteomyelitis | An infection specialist was asked to see a bone infection |
| Per ID, narrow to cefazolin | The infection team recommends switching to a narrower antibiotic |
| ID signed off | The infection team has finished its role in this stay |
| Outpatient ID f/u in 2 wk | Follow up at the infection clinic in two weeks |
Team handoff: "Cultures growing ESBL E. coli, ID aware, awaiting sensitivities." The night team is told that the infection specialists know about a resistant germ and that the final lab results will guide the drug choice.
ID as identification and in lab reports
In nursing and safety language, ID means identification. Hospitals check at least two patient identifiers, such as full name and date of birth, before giving medicines, drawing blood or doing a procedure. A note may read "ID band verified." In microbiology, ID can also mean the identification of an organism, as in "culture: gram negative rods, ID and sensitivities to follow."
ID as the intradermal route
Intradermal means into the dermis, the layer just below the surface of the skin. The best known intradermal injection is the tuberculin skin test, often written PPD, where a tiny amount of fluid raises a small bump on the forearm. Some allergy tests are also given this way. Because the route is less common than IM or subcutaneous injection, many orders spell out intradermal in full to avoid any doubt.
ID as intellectual disability
In developmental, school and some primary care records, ID can stand for intellectual disability, a condition that begins in childhood and affects learning, reasoning and everyday living skills. This use appears mostly in pediatric, psychology and support service documents rather than in hospital consult notes. Clinicians aim to use neutral, person first language, such as a child with an intellectual disability.
Telling the meanings apart
Look at the words nearby. Consults, antibiotics and cultures point to infectious disease. Bands, wristbands and verification point to identification. Injections, skin tests and millimeters of firmness point to intradermal. Development and school support point to intellectual disability. Consult services and staff roles like this one are grouped in the teams and titles section of this site.
When ID shows up in a note about your own care and you cannot place it, ask the person who charted it to clarify.
Frequently asked questions
What does ID mean in a hospital?
Most often, ID means infectious disease, the specialist team for serious or complex infections. On a wristband or safety checklist, it means patient identification.
What does ID consult mean?
It means the primary team asked an infectious disease specialist to review the patient. This often happens with bloodstream infections, resistant germs or infections that are not improving.
What does ID mean for an injection?
In an injection order, ID means intradermal, a shallow shot into the top layers of the skin. The tuberculin skin test is the common example.
Is ID the same as I&D?
No. ID is usually infectious disease or identification, while I&D means incision and drainage, a procedure to open and drain an abscess.
What does an infectious disease doctor do?
They diagnose and treat difficult infections, advise on which antibiotics to use and for how long, care for people with HIV, and help hospitals prevent the spread of infection.