From the September 15, 2008 eHealth Initiative Weekly Newsletter:
Member Spotlight: eHI Sits Down with eHI Member, Eye Controls
Claudia Ellison, eHI's Director of Development, had the opportunity last week to chat with Evan Smith, CEO of Eye Controls, a Chantilly, VA-based biometrics company. Eye Controls has been an eHI member since 2007.
What is your organization's role/interest in health information technology, and how long have you been engaged in that field?
We make biometric ID systems that use iris recognition to identify staff and patients. We've been installing this proven technology in airports around the world since 1999, and in clinical facilities since 2007.
Describe one of your key initiatives regarding HIT.
About two years ago, we looked at the growing movement toward EMRs and HIEs. We asked ourselves, how will the personal information be secured? How will clinicians get the right data in the right record every time? How will they avoid using the wrong record to treat a patient? We realized that this industry needs state-of-the-art ID systems. The iris technology we were using to secure airports is error-free, non-contact, and far more accurate than fingerprints, but the systems designed for airport purposes were too expensive for clinical use. So we spend over a year in the lab and in field testing to perfect an iris ID system that's purpose-built for health care.
What is unique about your approach?
It's the only iris system on the market that was designed to meet medical needs. Staff and patients look into a $249 handheld camera, and the system instantly translates their iris pattern into a unique ID number assigned by the facility. The system works with all identity management and EMR software.
What are your goals for the future regarding HIT and your role in eHI?
We're passionate about using our biometric expertise to help solve the problems in health care. We want to prevent fraud and identity theft, reduce costs, and save lives. Our involvement in eHI lets us add our voice to those of other organizations that share these goals.
For more information about eHI member Eye Controls, visit www.eye-controls.com.
