This document summarizes research on using biometrics for identity management in healthcare applications. The research examines applying biometrics to authenticate access to medical records while preserving privacy. It analyzes the identity management requirements of patients, physicians and providers. Preliminary results found no statistical difference in skin characteristics or fingerprint image quality between nurses and others, but did find a difference in matching performance. Future work will analyze different biometric technologies for specific healthcare operations and examine usability issues.

1. 2009 - 3F8-BC7 - Biometrics and Identity Management in Healthcare Applications - blomekec@purdue.edu - IAP
Biometrics and Identity Management in Healthcare Applications
C. Blomeke1, S. K.Modi1,Ph.D., E. Bertino2, Ph.D., & S. J. Elliott1Ph.D.
1Biometrics Standards, Performance & Assurance Laboratory, Department of Industrial Technology
2Department of Computer Science
Introduction Operational Requirements
The healthcare environment has additional • Physicians often practice in clinics as well as in
regulations relating to the access of confidential hospitals
medical records. This research will examine the
use of biometrics to enhance the authentication in
• Research interoperability of sensors for
the healthcare environment while preserving multiple location authentication
privacy • Within the healthcare environment there are
concerns about the hygienic use of devices
Identity Management Requirements • Determine the fit of biometric devices into the
normal work-flow of healthcare professionals
• Applying identity management categories to a
healthcare scenario to account for requirements of Preliminary Results
patients, physicians, and healthcare providers
• Comparison of skin characteristics, fingerprint image
• Authentication via biometrics must be reliable and quality, and matching performance between 30 nurses
consistent involved with patient care and 30 individuals from the
• Must take into account the work environment such general population
as lighting, personal protective equipment, and hand • Skin characteristics such as moisture, oiliness, and
washing requirements to investigate the performance skin elasticity nor fingerprint image quality were not
of each system found to be statistically different between the two
populations
Identity Management Framework • Matching performance was found to be statistically
different between the two populations
Fingerprint Image Quality Scores
72.00
71.00
70.00
69.00 General
Healthcare
68.00
67.00
66.00
General Healthcare
Red = Healthcare Blue = General
Future Work
• Analyze different biometric technologies for specific
Figure 1: VeryIDX model applied to a healthcare scenario operations
• Examine usability issues of biometrics in healthcare
environment
3F8-BC7.pdf 1 3/9/2009 5:27:37 PM