Being identified at UW Health is now a hands-on experience. Check-in clerks are using devices that scan vein patterns in palms to link patients to their electronic medical records. The scans can also help emergency room staff identify patients unable to speak.
Until the scanners were introduced this month, patients gave their name, date of birth, address and other information when entering UW Hospital or UW Health clinics. But errors can occur because some patients have the same names, said Mike Sauk, UW Health?s chief information officer.