Prime Highlights:
Patients at NYU Langone Health will soon use Amazon’s palm-scanning technology for check-ins, enhancing convenience and security.
The technology is expected to reduce patient check-in times from 2-3 minutes to under one minute, improving overall patient experience.
Key Background:
Amazon will soon introduce its innovative palm-scanning technology, Amazon One, to NYU Langone Health facilities, allowing patients to check in for appointments quickly and securely. The contactless service aims to streamline the sign-in process, reduce wait times, and ease administrative burdens, making it the largest third-party deployment of Amazon One to date.
Amazon One uses palm recognition to identify patients, offering a secure and efficient way to authenticate identities. This technology is designed to enhance the patient experience by minimizing wait times. NYU Langone, which handles more than 10 million patient visits annually, expects to reduce patient check-in times from around two to three minutes to under one minute. According to Andrew Rubin, NYU Langone’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs, the system not only provides a faster, more efficient experience for patients but also lightens the workload for staff by reducing the need for manual authentication.
The technology’s deployment follows an extensive collaboration between Amazon and NYU Langone, which has been in the works for approximately nine months. Nader Mherabi, NYU Langone’s Chief Digital and Information Officer, emphasized that Amazon One would be deployed initially at NYU Langone’s facilities in the New York metro area, with plans for expansion to other locations later in the year.
NYU Langone assures patients that participation in the Amazon One program is voluntary. The system does not store or access any health data beyond palm print information, ensuring privacy and security. Patients can also opt out of the service at any time. Originally introduced in 2020 at Amazon Go stores and later expanded to Whole Foods in 2023, Amazon One continues to evolve, with potential future applications within healthcare, such as credentialing for secure areas and computer systems.
