CoxHealth rolling out biometric readers for patient check-in

Photos provided by Imprivata

Last edited 1:15 p.m., Aug. 14, 2018

CoxHealth is rolling out a technological advancement that uses biometric readers for patient check-in.

The local health care system contracted with Lexington, Massachusetts-based Imprivata to implement PatientSecure readers that tie patients’ vein patterns with their medical records, according to a news release.

Noting CoxHealth invested $600,000 to adopt the technology, spokeswoman Kaitlyn McConnell said the biometric readers would be introduced systemwide in a “gradual rollout.” The release pointed to implementation over the next few months.

“You may be surprised, but many people in our area have the same first and last names,” said Jack Cole, administrative director of information technology at CoxHealth, in the release. “This will smooth the check-in process. Instead of staff having to determine the correct record, the patient’s palm is used to pull up a single correct record. We have a lot of double-checks to prevent those issues, but this technology will stop the problem entirely.”

When the system is implemented, CoxHealth patients will place their hand on a device that reads the vein pattern in their hand. Those patterns are unique to every individual.

Imprivata, PatientSecure’s developer, is “partnering with large health systems, such as CoxHealth, who are enabling clinicians throughout their facilities to pull up a single medical record for their patients and treat them appropriately,” said company Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sean Kelly.

“Identifying patients correctly is the first and fundamental step in a quality care process,” Kelly said in the release. “Health care organizations using this technology have consistently seen their patients very satisfied by this service, as it brings them significant benefits. Consider a person arriving in the ER with no ID, it could make all the difference in the outcome.

“This technology will save lives.”