Biometrics Gives a Hospital Supportive Hand

Correct identification (ID) of a patient, as elementary a task as it sounds, is the leading cause of medical errors as
determined by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Misidentifying
patients can lead to an array of unwanted events including medical identity theft and insurance fraud, where either
patient share insurance cards or providers submit false claims. Sometimes misidentification can be due to simple
clerical errors, technological failures, or even dishonest patients misrepresenting their identity. Whatever the
cause, a positive patient identification (PPID) system is now the standard in healthcare facilities.
Multiple options are available to solve the healthcare industry’s patient misidentification troubles. At the point of
registration, patients need two key documents: a valid form of identification such as a driver’s license and their
insurance card. The information from these documents is crucial to the patient receiving the proper medical
treatments and for insurance billing information. However, an issue arises when clerks must manually copy down
all the information into the patient’s electronic record, a time-consuming task that can result in human errors. The
best solution for streamlining the digitalization of patient data is a dedicated, high-resolution card scanner. The
best scanners take pictures of the cards and then upload them to the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
The technology is being used at IntraHealth Group where a scanner has turned recording patient data into a “scan-
and-click operation.”
High-resolution card scanners reduce patient registration times and allow staff members to focus more on the
individual health concerns of the patient. The out-of-the-box systems require virtually no maintenance, set-up, or
training. Additionally, the scanner prevents unsecured copies of important documents from having to be made.
Dedicated, high resolution scanners are one way to decrease patient misidentification and various associated
forms of healthcare fraud.
The most advanced solutions implemented to combat patient misidentification are systems that rely on biometrics.
At BayCare Health Systems in Tampa, Florida, palm-vein recognition technology is used to streamline and secure
patient processing. Palm-vein biometrics work by shining a near-infrared light on the patient’s hand which
penetrates the outer layer of skin but reflects off deoxygenated blood. Simply put, the patient’s veins are
highlighted to present a pattern unique to that individual. Palm-vein technology has been proven to be just as
accurate if not more accurate than iris-scanning technology. In comparative testing conducted by the International
Biometrics Group (IBG), palm-vein technology exhibited significantly low rates of both false positive and false
negative readings. By ensuring a near-zero enrolment failure, palm-vein technology is compatible with essentially
all patients.
This technology is integrated with EMR and registration systems in order to address the patient identification
issues. BayCare updated their electronic medical records system to make it compatible with the palm-vein
biometric technology. When a palm-vein reading is taken, it is sent directly to a patient’s EMR. The combined
system is referred to as Patient Secure Identity (PSI) and offers several business and health related benefits. First
and foremost is patient safety. With the PSI system, duplicate medical records are eliminated and overlays
prevented, thus ensuring doctors that the medical records in their hands are comprehensive, accurate, and not
those of anyone else. On the front end, biometric readings forgo the need to transmit sensitive information at
registration such as a Social Security number.
BayCare’s PSI system was launched only 60 days after the project initiation and was fully implemented within six
months at all BayCare hospitals, outpatient centres, and outreach lab locations. The PSI system is linked to all
BayCare locations. Once a patient is in the system, that patient can be correctly identified at any one of BayCare’s
ten healthcare locations whether it is a hospital, clinic, or imaging centre, just by scanning their hand. BayCare’s
PSI system with biometric palm-vein identification has successfully fulfilled BayCare Health System’s concern
about ensuring patient safety and preventing identity theft and fraud.
PPID is a difficult yet crucial task for healthcare facilities. In order for healthcare providers to best execute their
responsibilities, they need to address the patient’s medical issues in a timely fashion, know who they are treating,
and know the patient’s medical history. Dedicated, high-resolution card scanners and biometrics linked to patient
health records address these concerns, as well as decrease the ability for fraud to be committed. PPID systems are
now a much-needed staple to a reputable healthcare facility’s IT portfolio.
1. Although biometrics at BayCare Health Systems helps reduce risk by properly identifying patients at
registration, what aspect of their system opens them up to a different area of risk?
2. Does BayCare’s PSI system hold too much information?
3. What risk does BayCare run by collecting such a large amount of private patient information and
transmitting it between their 10 locations?