A new patient biometric ID service promises to reduce patient mixups and medical errors as well as cut costs, according to RightPatient and GE Healthcare-owned Caradigm, the two companies that have partnered to launch the technology. The system revolves around patient photographs and information stored on HIPPA-compliant remote servers, and meets demand for what the companies say is a “growing urgency for healthcare providers to reduce security and compliance risk, secure data, protect privacy and increase safety.”

Patient record mixups and identification inaccuracies are a direct and serious threat to patient safety, privacy and the quality of care, not to mention their negative impact on revenue cycle

This enterprise-wide identity management solution “ensures patients are kept safe throughout the care continuum” in large part by the biometric patient ID piece. A patient’s photo is published in his or her health records, hospital wristbands and other applications. Additionally, the system includes an app that “turns any smartphone or tablet into a powerful patient recognition device,” the companies say.

Not only does the system offer a higher level of security and hygiene, but biometric patient ID use in health care can, the companies say, “save tens of millions dollars” per year by reducing the hassle of denied claims, preventing more medical errors than other healthcare identification technologies and cutting down on duplicate medical records.

Biometric patient ID meets the need for sharing sensitive data

The technology’s launch comes as more medical professionals become open minded about sharing sensitive data. A recent Dell survey, for instance, found that 68 percent of healthcare workers “are willing to share sensitive protected health information under certain circumstances.” This new biometric ID system enables that desire by simplifying healthcare workflows via the use of a single set of credentials or multi-factor authentication in an integrated clinical workstation to provide fast and secure access to sensitive patient data, the companies say.

“Patient record mixups and identification inaccuracies are a direct and serious threat to patient safety, privacy and the quality of care, not to mention their negative impact on revenue cycle,” says Mizan Rahman, founder of RightPatient. “Healthcare organizations are under tremendous pressure to improve patient identification accuracy and secure access to protect privacy, reduce medical errors, and prevent data breaches that compromise provider reputation, costs, and quality.”

Rahman says the partnership with Caradigm unites the most accurate biometric patient ID technology with an industry leading SSO solution to reduce mistakes and simplify workflows.

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