The benefits of Healthcare and Medical Biometrics are numerous. Healthcare providers can now enjoy privacy, flexibility, and interoperability across various organizations. These solutions can help secure personal identity information and medical records. Learn more about the benefits of Healthcare and Medical Biometrics and how to use them effectively. This article discusses the pros and cons of this new technology. Read on to find out how it will impact clinical standards and educate health care workers.
Travel and Security biometrics allow for flexibility, privacy, and interoperability across different organizations
Recent advances in technology have made the use of biometrics possible for border control and travel security. The current infrastructure for biometric border control requires agreements among various government agencies, but it is not completely perfect. Currently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection collects biometric data from foreign nationals upon entry to the United States and matches it with government databases. However, the government has yet to establish an effective biometric data collection system for travelers leaving the country. The current data collection infrastructure is in transition, but federal efforts are underway.
To enable the use of biometrics for travel and security, CBP is developing a facial recognition system and implementing a pilot program. Commercial partners will enable travelers to opt in to the system and scan their faces at the time of boarding. Upon matching the images, travelers will no longer have to present their passports. They can use a mobile application instead.
Healthcare and Medical Biometrics solutions allow for these same benefits
The recent advances in biometrics technology have made nationwide biometric deployment a practical possibility. These include the use of smartphones, tablets, and credit card-sized cameras. Healthcare providers can use biometric data to verify identity, improve patient experience, and avoid identity theft. Moreover, many solutions can be integrated with existing information systems, such as electronic medical records and patient portals. These can also be used to identify patients, while the security of patient data is further increased.
As more hospitals are using biometric technologies to track patient health and identify them, the cost of healthcare is inevitably going to increase. However, the benefits of biometrics are clear. By identifying patients by physical traits such as fingerprints, iris patterns, facial features, and voice, healthcare providers can improve patient safety. This technology can also eliminate clerical errors, reduce the risk of identity theft, and streamline healthcare.
Impact on clinical standards
While it may be difficult to imagine a world where everyone could be treated the same, the introduction of medical biometrics could help us achieve this goal. Biometrics enable healthcare providers to confirm patient identities without requiring a large amount of time, which benefits both the patients and healthcare workers. Furthermore, because digital information follows patients from one institution to another, biometrics will also help prevent strangers from accessing hospital computers and facilities.
Medical biometric monitoring devices measure biological recognition elements, anatomical structures, and integrated physiological parameters. These devices utilize algorithms to transform the data into aggregate functional outcomes. Biometric monitoring systems allow for efficient collection of high-frequency real-time data. These health monitoring platforms also reduce the time required for in-clinic assessment and can reveal population effects. Biometrics may help us understand the human body better, and this is exactly what we need.
Need for education
The growing COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for fast, secure access to medical information. Likewise, healthcare records are increasingly valuable, and cybercrime involving such information has grown in frequency and severity. Weak passwords or compromised personal information are too risky for healthcare professionals and patients. Biometric scanning is a secure way to identify a patient and eliminate the chance for bad actors to obtain their confidential information.
Research conducted in Malawi found that healthcare workers were more likely to focus on biometric risks than on the benefits of such systems. This is concerning given that patients in higher-income settings may be concerned about the privacy and confidentiality of their records. Further research is necessary to identify the best methods to minimize these risks. The Malawian study also highlights the need for healthcare providers and policy makers to educate themselves about the benefits of medical biometrics and ensure the security of their data.