Patientory, Inc., a startup dedicated to healthcare data handling, and UK-based IrisGuard are collaborating on using iris biometric technology in combination with blockchain data storage, to achieve modern and secure patient screening. The Patientory app, which is completely HIPPA-compliant, has thus added another layer of security, through additional authorization on the blockchain. IrisGuard is among the top suppliers of sensitive biometric technology, capable of being used on large populations.
The enterprise web portal solution and app integrates EyePay, the proprietary tool of IrisGuard, utilizing mobile technology similar to that used by the United Nations Agencies. Similar iris-scanning devices have been used to screen migrants for human trafficking, as well as for registering refugees and orphans.
IrisGuard has completed hundreds of millions of individual iris scans, processed trillions of iris cross-comparisons, and deployed thousands of units in 12 countries around the world. The IrisGuard solutions span to financial authentication and authorisation for ATMs, supermarket POS transactions, microfinance, salary assurance, medical aid and remittances.
The data produced by EyePay is “blockchain-ready”, meaning it can be encrypted and stored in a tamper-proof distributed ledger. The EyePay Phone can be easily applied to recognize and authenticate a patient in under three seconds, with great potential to be used for the healthcare industry.
“Patient identification is a growing problem in today’s healthcare system,” said Chrissa McFarlane, CEO and founder of Patientory, Inc. “This technology can help providers identify an individual with unparalleled accuracy, through iris-recognition and data matching. And because it’s verified on the blockchain, it’s scalable without sacrificing data security – which is one of the main problems with our current healthcare-data infrastructure.”
Blockchain ledgers work by taking any data and adding encryption, so that any tampering with the initial data is immediately evident. The usage of cryptography can be applied to one of the major problems for the healthcare sector. Statistics show that up to 20% of patient records are mismatched within even one healthcare system, which drives up costs, creates inefficiencies and even poses risks for patient safety.
“The EyePay Phone and PTOYNet; the blockchain network which the Patientory software runs on proactively enhances patient’s peace of mind knowing that healthcare providers are deploying the most accurate biometric/blockchain identification technology available today in an effort to ensure efficiencies of scale, privacy and trust in the healthcare authentication and authorization processes. This is a particularly important given that one out of three Americans had their health care data stolen or hacked recently.” Commented Mr. Imad Malhas, CEO IrisGuard U.K.”
Iris recognition is one of the tools that prevents identity fraud and abuse, especially important in the pharmaceutical industry. Insurance fraud is also impossible with accurate patient recognition. The addition of a blockchain network improves data management, keeping detailed information in an encrypted, but also immediately available record. Patientory, Inc. has looked closely at those possibilities, and plans to roll out the technology this year. The first application will affect a specific area of healthcare where identity is key – clinical trials.
Patientory is on the verge of realizing its long-planned vision of improving healthcare, by tapping the latest technological developments and combining them in a novel way. At the same time, the startup is fully HIPAA-compliant, with the possibility of handling sensitive data. Patientory aims to create healthcare data solutions with the greatest cybersecurity, allowing for storage, transfer and analysis of healthcare information.
Patientory, Inc. runs on the private permissioned blockchain, PTOYNet along with digital asset, the PTOY token, ran under the administration of the Patientory Association, a trade organization that connects the healthcare industry to emerging technology applications. Patientory solutions comprises of a distributed app , or dApp and healthcare enterprise software compatible with the PTOYNet and other distributed blockchain-based networks.
For more information, visit : https://patientory.com/
