Atlanta-based Wellstar Health announced this week that it is deploying technology from Clear, the biometric security company best known for enabling faster access at airports and entertainment venues in order to streamline patient check-in.

Clear's HIPAA-compliant mobile check-in technology, which is successfully integrated with its Epic electronic health records at a pilot location, gives Wellstar Health System real-time identity verification that can reduce waiting room friction, the company says.

Wellstar codeveloped the patient identity application integration, which will become available out-of-the-box to other healthcare organizations that use Epic, and is the first health 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 frictionless check-in process during the second half of 2024, the company said. 

Wellstar patients who opt-in to use the platform with a single sign-on account verify their identity ahead of time by text. When they arrive at their scheduled appointments, they check in by taking a digital selfie at the health system's kiosks.

According to its CEO, Caryn Seidman Becker, Clear's mission is to "replace the clipboard in healthcare" with new experiences powered by a patient's interoperable health identity.

"Identity is foundational 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 providers and patients because it cuts tedious check-ins by filling in information in advance, reduces administrative burdens, connects disparate health information and enhances security by minimizing social engineering risks.

"We are committed to building an ecosystem of care that includes technologies that have never been used in healthcare," Dr. Hank Capps, Wellstar Health executive vice president and chief information and digital officer and president of Catalyst by Wellstar, added.

Clear, which has more than 17 million members, provides digital identity proofing and consumer verification to aviation and other industries.

THE LARGER TREND

Digital front-door applications that enable patients to manage their digital health information and identity securely can simplify providers' intake processes – an important step in the journey to a digital-first model. 

Transitioning to a digital-first model in healthcare begins with "defining a digital strategy and assessing current processes to identify transformational opportunities," according to Dr. Gauri Puri, chief business officer of the healthcare and life sciences business unit at WNS, a business-process management company. 

"A digital-first model for clinical and [revenue cycle management] prioritizes the use of digital technologies, data-driven approaches and a digital mindset to streamline operations, improve efficiency and enhance patient care outcomes," she told Healthcare IT News last week.

Healthcare organizations have been looking at digital transformation opportunities where they have historic friction that increases their administrative costs and can frustrate their patients.

Patient data and patient identification are two areas where digital health investments need to be made, Clay Ritchey, CEO of Verato, a health transformation vendor said back in 2022.

"Healthcare organizations are stepping up their game with respect to 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 partnered with Clear to further enterprise identity management in healthcare.

ON THE RECORD

"Our patients' time is precious. Introducing Clear's proven secure technology will help make the check-in process even more efficient and safe," Capps said in a statement.

Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.