Imprivata, Idemia and Aware launch facial recognition for mobile prescriptions

A release from Imprivata, the Massachusetts firm known for its work in digital ID for the healthcare sector, says new facial recognition technology will transform clinician and patient experiences by enabling secure, DEA-compliant mobile authentication for electronic prescriptions for controlled substances (EPCS).

The project is a collaboration between Imprivata and the biometric authentication firms Idemia and Aware. The massive U.S.-based healthcare software platform provider Epic also contributed, and the Epic Haiku and Canto mobile apps will provide the front-end UX for providers issuing EPCS.

Representatives from the participating firms call the system the first of its kind, and say it paves the way for a major shift in healthcare.

“The future of healthcare IT is mobile, but to drive adoption we need to give care providers the best possible user experience and make workflows as convenient as possible,” says Dr. Sean Kelly, Chief Medical Officer and SVP of Customer Strategy for Healthcare at Imprivata. “Imprivata has a long history of helping healthcare delivery organizations strike the necessary but often elusive balance between security and convenience, and we are excited to introduce our new facial recognition technology to help our clients unlock the potential of mobile to drive efficiency, productivity, and better patient care.”

Imprivata established its foothold in healthcare with its Confirm ID enterprise access management tool, which helps care delivery organizations comply with DEA requirements for EPCS, including identity proofing, enrollment, logical access control, two-factor authentication, and comprehensive audit recordkeeping and reporting. It says its new facial recognition for EPCS will likewise be in full compliance with DEA requirements.

Idemia hopes the mobile prescription tool will help drive adoption of EPCS at scale and satisfy the federal government’s SUPPORT Act, which mandates that EPCS account for 70% of prescription drug claims for controlled substances under Medicare Part D by the end of measurement year 2023, as a means to address the ongoing opioid crisis.

The website for the Center’s for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) states that “electronic prescribing for controlled substances has many benefits such as improved patient safety and workflow efficiencies, fraud deterrence, adherence management, and reduced burden.”

Article Topics

Aware  |  biometric authentication  |  ePrescribing  |  facial recognition  |  healthcare  |  IDEMIA  |  Imprivata  |  patient identification