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Biometrics in healthcare

There are various challenges employees in the health sector must face, the growth of decentralised facilities, standardising security products, cost containment across all physical security systems, employees and patients having a higher expectation of security, and protecting the privacy of patients and their records are just some of those.

Finding new ways to balance operating costs, patient expectations and cost-effective security solutions is sustainable with a phased plan for technology migration to IP-centric solutions. Different health sectors have various needs and these may depend on the high reliability and availability of security systems. Some require more cost-effective security for smaller facilities, higher level of validated access control in critical areas, and lower operating costs for security. One needs to take into consideration all these factors and look for ways that technology can improve the various facilities that need customised solutions.

The right solution

It is essential for the healthcare facilities to search the market, as certain companies have products that enable healthcare facilities to have access control systems, time and attendance devices etc., that help to ensure only authorised personnel have access to restricted areas of the building. Making use of biometrics within a hospital or pharmacy will ensure that security systems are more accurate and safe. Imagine having to deal with very private information and having to allow only a few people access to this information? Having a biometric device installed at that restricted part of the hospital or pharmacy will ensure that management knows exactly who has been in that area, and when and how long they have been in there. Having a biometric time and attendance system can make it easier for hospitals to be able to record the presence of doctors, nurses and staff. Such processes will enable the department heads to monitor employees better.

One may argue that because biometric machines usually require a fingerprint or thumbprint, or some other unique information to identify a person, that this can lead to serious risk of identity theft. Faking or obtaining fingerprints are virtually impossible. One cannot obtain fingerprints from a biometric reader’s memory or a database on a computer because these details are encrypted by an algorithm that is also virtually impossible to crack.

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