Protecting Patient Privacy, Health Identity
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
Saint Peter’s adopts Privasent solution to eliminate identity errors, accurately match EHRs
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, of New Brunswick, NJ, has signed a three-year agreement with Malta Systems to fully implement its proprietary patient health identity solution, Privasent. The health system’s 2013 pilot of the technology proved successful in eliminating identity errors and ensuring accurate EHR matches, as well as protecting patient privacy.
Partnet, Malta System’s parent company and a pioneer in Internet sourcing, provides web-based solutions for the U.S. government, in which the highest levels of privacy and security are required. Combining this expertise with Malta Systems’ 30+ years’ experience in healthcare led to the patent-pending Privasent solution, in which smart card, biometric, and security technologies have created a unique, absolute, and interoperable healthcare identity, with potential to scale to a national patient identifier.
“Saint Peter’s was an excellent pilot partner for us and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to expand our relationship,” said Don Brown, CEO of Malta Systems. “By implementing Privasent, providers have an identity foundation necessary to link patient EHRs precisely through the continuum of care – regardless of where that care is provided – and improve both patient satisfaction and care.”
When registered into the Privasent network, a patient’s palm vein pattern is captured and linked with an EHR to create a unique patient identity, which can only be used to access healthcare services. A smart card is issued for use at check-in to further validate identity and privacy. Providers can search for other EHRs that are associated with the patient to ensure accurate care, but do not have access to other private information, such as billing data. “The use of Privasent’s patient identification technology promises to dramatically reduce the risks of medical error and fraud throughout the entirety of the patient care process, enhancing clinical care and patient outcomes while reducing hospital costs,” said Ronald C. Rak, J.D., president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System.
Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, NJ, 478-bed Saint Peter’s University Hospital is a non-profit acute care teaching facility that has been serving residents of central New Jersey since 1907. The hospital is a designated primary stroke center by the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services and is accredited by the Joint Commission, the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). A member of the Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, other components include Saint Peter’s Foundation, the fundraising arm, and Saint Peter’s Health and Management Services Corporation, which oversees the system’s outpatient facilities. In 2012, Hospitals & Health Networks named the facility to its “Most Wired” list.
SOURCE: PRWeb