Hospitals have begun implementing biometrics as a way to verify, authenticate and maintain the safety of patient records. While fingerprint and palm prints are common ways of capturing biometrics, iris scans may be the best solution for this industry, reports Becker’s Hospital Review.

Some hospitals have begun implementing iris scans because it’s as unique an identifier as a person’s fingerprints or palm prints. Patients do not have to touch any equipment, which in a hospital setting could be a concern, as patients would have to disinfect their hands after taking print readings with a fingerprint or palm scanner to prevent spreading germs.

While costs of these systems and dealing with patients’ privacy concerns are issues when thinking about implementing iris scanning systems, hospitals also need to think about the type of verification to implement, as biometric readings alone cannot provide enough information to rely on.

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