Biometrics & Healthcare
While it was once a far-fetched concept you'd see in old science fiction movies, biometrics have become a real and functional technology of today.

What Are Biometrics?
Biometrics involve the biological identification of a person based on the structure or action of physical characteristics such as fingerprints, hand geometry, irises, the face, voice responses and/or handwritten signatures. Although biometric identity verification is standard practice in a range of other industries, it's been held back in healthcare by economic, technological, policy and practical issues. However, in response to the need for greater security within healthcare organizations, many facilities are now adopting biometric technologies to provide patient information access to doctors and other employees.

Healthcare organizations are also turning to biometrics to combat fraud. Some organizations have patients place a finger on a biometrics scanner during the front-desk registration process. The fingerprint image is captured electronically and made part of the patient's permanent record in a database that is accessible over an internal LAN. If another individual attempts to use the patient's health-insurance card, the transaction is immediately and automatically stopped.

Worldwide use of biometric technologies is expected to grow rapidly during the next four years, from revenues of $50 million in 2004 to almost $200 million in 2008. The most common technologies in use today within the healthcare industry are iris, fingerprint and hand geometry.


Source: Key Healthcare Findings