APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING PATIENTS

• US 20080181465A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Sauerwein, Jim T.
• Application Number:
  US11/669,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20080181465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD

Abstract

A patient identification system based on a portable data terminal including a biometric data capture device for capturing biometric scan data from a person and creating a biometric template for the person. A reference biometric template is prepared based oil a biometric scan of patient. Software is provided on the portable data terminal to compare the biometric template captured by the portable data terminal to the reference biometric template and indicate a whether the person corresponds to the patient described by the reference biometric template.

Claims

1. A patient identification system comprising:

a reference biometric template prepared based on a patient; and

a portable data terminal including a biometric data capture device for capturing biometric scan data from a person and creating a biometric template for the person, the portable data terminal including software to compare the biometric template captured by the portable data terminal to the reference biometric template and indicate a whether the person corresponds to the patient described by the reference biometric template.

2. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reference biometric template is stored on a data carrier associated with the patient.

3. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the data carrier comprises a two dimensional bar code.

4. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the two dimensional bar code is printed on a wristband.

5. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the data carrier comprises an RFID tag.

6. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the RFID tag is attached to a wristband.

7. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reference biometric template is based on an image of a physical feature of the patient.

8. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the reference biometric template is based on at least one of the patient'"'"'s face, ear, fingerprint. DNA, chemical composition, heat signature, or retina.

9. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the biometric data capture device comprises an imager.

10. A patient identification system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the biometric data capture device comprises a fingerprint reader.

11. A method of identifying a patient comprising:

performing a first biometric scan on a patient upon to prior to being admitted to a medical facility;

creating a reference biometric template based on the biometric scan;

associating the biometric template with the patient'"'"'s medical records;

taking a second biometric scan from a person;

creating a suspected biometric template based on the second biometric scan;

comparing the reference biometric template with the suspected biometric template;

determining whether the person is likely the patient; and

conditioning the provision of medical services to the person based on whether the person is likely the patient.