Wellstar Health adds secure check-in through Epic
Atlanta-based Wellstar Health announced this week that it will deploy technology from Clear, the biometric security company best known for enabling faster access at airports and entertainment venues, to streamline patient check-in.
Clear’s HIPAA-compliant mobile check-in technology, which has been successfully integrated with its Epic electronic health records at a pilot location, gives Wellstar Health System real-time identity verification that can reduce friction in the waiting room, the company says.
Wellstar co-developed the patient identity application integration, which will be available out-of-the-box to other healthcare organizations using Epic, and is the first healthcare system to use it, Clear said in its announcement Tuesday.
WHY IT MATTERS
After a successful pilot with Clear’s Verified universal identity platform, Wellstar Health, one of the largest healthcare systems in the Peach State, will roll out a smooth check-in process in the second half of 2024, the company said.
Wellstar patients who choose to use the platform with a single sign-on account will pre-verify their identity via text message. When they arrive at their scheduled appointment, they check in by taking a digital selfie at the health system’s kiosks.
According to CEO Caryn Seidman Becker, Clear’s mission is to “replace the clipboard in healthcare” with new experiences powered by the patient’s interoperable health identity.
“Identity is fundamental to making patient experiences safer, easier and more efficient in healthcare,” she said in the company’s statement.
Clear has claimed that its identity verification technology is better for healthcare providers and patients because it reduces annoying check-ins by pre-filling information, reduces administrative burdens, connects disparate health information, and improves security by reducing health risks minimize social engineering.
“We are committed to building an ecosystem of care that includes technologies never before used in healthcare,” added Dr. Hank Capps, Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer and President of Catalyst by Wellstar at Wellstar Health, added.
Clear, which has more than 17 million members, provides digital ID and consumer authentication to the airlines and other industries.
THE BIG TREND
Digital front door applications that allow patients to securely manage their digital health information and identity can simplify healthcare provider intake processes – an important step in the journey to a digital-first model.
The transition to a digital-first model in healthcare starts with “defining a digital strategy and assessing current processes to identify transformational opportunities,” said Dr. Gauri Puri, Chief Business Officer of the Healthcare and Life Sciences business unit at WNS, a business unit process management company.
“A digital-first clinical and revenue cycle management model prioritizes the use of digital technologies, data-driven approaches and a digital mindset to streamline operations, improve efficiencies and improve patient care outcomes” , she said. Healthcare IT news last week.
Healthcare organizations have looked to digital transformation opportunities where they experience historical frictions that increase their administrative costs and can frustrate their patients.
Patient data and patient identification are two areas where digital health needs to be invested, said Clay Ritchey, CEO of Verato, a 2022 healthcare transformation provider.
“Healthcare organizations are stepping up their game in digitally transforming their operations, ranging from behind-the-scenes administration to patient-facing interactions at the registration desk and exam rooms,” he said.
In October, Verato collaborated with Clear to promote healthcare enterprise identity management.
ON THE RECORD
“Our patients’ time is valuable. The introduction of Clear’s proven secure technology will make the check-in process even more efficient and secure,” Capps said in a statement.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.