World Hosp Health Serv. 2013;49(3):29-33.

Can banks offer digital keys for health care?

Casillas J.

Author information

• BoardTrust, LLC, USA.

Abstract

In the quest to implement electronic health care records, health care stakeholders have uncovered an elephant in the room - how to implement patient identity and integrity solutions. Without this, linking the unique records of an individual is impossible. An inaccurate record can be dangerous for prescribing treatment. Yet many consider a unique patient identifier as an unacceptable privacy risk. Medical banking, or the convergence of banking and heath IT systems, is spawning new ideas that could impact on this difficult area. This article suggests that new forms of efficiency in payment processing may yield a common, cross-industry technology platform for managing digital identity by banks. Redefining a bank based on core competencies, the article looks at three areas: (1) the "identity theft arms race"; (2) innovations in payment processing; and (3) consumer engagement, and suggests that, as banking and health care systems converge, digital identity may become the new money. This realization may find banks fully engaged in helping health care to overcome the challenge of patient identity and integrity.