NYU Langone Health is set to introduce Amazon One, a contactless identity verification service, at its facilities. This initiative aims to simplify the check-in process for patients using palm scanning technology. The deployment marks the largest third-party use of Amazon One and its first application in healthcare.
"One of NYU Langone’s goals is to leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance the patient experience,” stated Nader Mherabi, executive vice president and vice dean, chief digital and information officer at NYU Langone. “We make all decisions with our patients in mind first and foremost, and we’re always looking for ways to improve their experience through technology."
Amazon One's palm scanning system offers a 99.9999% accuracy rate with recognition time under one second. It uses biometric matching by analyzing palm and vein imagery, which enhances identity checks' speed and reliability.
The integration of Amazon One into NYU Langone's patient check-in system was facilitated by Amazon Web Services (AWS) working alongside Epic, the health network's electronic health record system. The service is free for patients who can enroll online or at NYU Langone locations before appointments.
Colleen Aubrey, SVP of AWS Solutions said, "Health care is deeply personal and often stressful. With Amazon One, we've created a palm recognition system that respects privacy while making check-ins simpler when patients have more important things on their minds."
Amazon emphasizes privacy with this service as it requires an intentional gesture—hovering a palm over a device—for use. Data protection measures include encryption and secure storage within AWS Cloud infrastructure. Palm data does not reside on mobile devices or the Amazon One device itself.
Patients retain alternative options for identity verification if they choose not to use Amazon One. They can also request deletion of their palm data anytime.
The rollout across all NYU Langone locations is expected by year-end. This move could streamline healthcare office operations by reducing administrative tasks and allowing staff to focus more on patient care.