The Journal of mHealth Vol 2 Issue 2 (Apr 2015) | Page 31

Healthcare at the Touch of a Finger

Healthcare at the Touch of a Finger
New fingerprint ID device gives healthcare workers access to
accurate patient records
A pocket-sized fingerprint scanner that links individuals' fingerprints to their health records, developed by a team of students,
could have the potential for widespread health benefits, according to a new study.
In an article in the journal Global Health: Science and
Practice, four students - three of them Gates Cambridge Scholars - outline how the device, known as SimPrints, addresses a major problem in developing countries, in terms of having the means to identify patients.
Accurately linking people to their digital records is a critical bottleneck in the delivery of mobile services in healthcare, microfinance, and aid distribution. To help improve this situation
the scanner has been designed to wirelessly sync with a health
worker's smartphone, thus providing an efficient method for
identifying individuals and empowering the mobile tools used
by researchers, NGOs and governments around the world.
The students - Daniel Storisteanu, Alexandra Grigore and Toby