They scanned my hand...

I went to the doctor's office last week and they were scanning everybody's palm at check-in. I was mortified...that's all I need, something else freaking me out at the doctor's office. I hate to go anyway. The receptionist told me I "had to do it" and that it was to protect against insurance fraud. Then, after scanning my hand, she told me I was already in the system. I explained that I had never had that done before, and that I would have known if I did. Then she decided there was a glitch in the system; there is another patient at the office by my name and somehow the computer was confusing us. I still can't get over the receptionist telling me I had to do this...and that I listened to her. The man in line behind me made a scene and nobody scanned his hand.

I think that is really crossing a line... couldn't they just ask for PHOTO ID?!?!?!?

wait I don't even know what scanning your hand means???? What do they do?? it sounds really scary.

Originally Posted by ut0pia

wait I don't even know what scanning your hand means???? What do they do?? it sounds really scary.

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She made me put my palm down flat on this black box. There was a little prong thingy that I had to wedge my middle finger against. Then (and this part may have been my imagination) I think a red light came on like a price scanner at the grocery store. According to the brochure I picked up at the front desk, it took a map of the veins in my hand. Now any Carolinas Medical Center can access my medical records just by scanning my hand. This is just too weird...

I dont know it doesnt sound like a horrible idea to me. I mean think of it this way:
You are in a horrible car wreck 5 hours from your house and have to be taken to the hospital and are unconscious instead of them just hoping that you are not allergic to a medicine or guessing if you have had some past surgeries or medicines that could interfere they could just scan your palm and immediate know all of your medical history and can probably be able to get a hold of the next of kin and alert them.
But thats just IMHO

Originally Posted by nurseangel

The man in line behind me made a scene and nobody scanned his hand.

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You should have thrown a fit than.

I can understand how it was a little weird, and I hope that the mix up doesn't cause any problems later. But, cost aside, implementing this could be a good move forward.

That sounds insane to me. That's like one step closer to microchiping ourselves for ID... skeeves me out!

Originally Posted by Breellablue

That sounds insane to me. That's like one step closer to microchiping ourselves for ID... skeeves me out!

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I think microchipping ourselves is a great idea!!!! I would love to be able to chip myself, husband and future children. Look at how often they find bodies they can't identify. And if I was out and had a heart problem, I'd love for them to scan me (chip/palm whatever), and pull up my hospital records, and doctor info. It'd probably save many lives.

Originally Posted by nurseangel

I went to the doctor's office last week and they were scanning everybody's palm at check-in. I was mortified...that's all I need, something else freaking me out at the doctor's office. I hate to go anyway. The receptionist told me I "had to do it" and that it was to protect against insurance fraud. Then, after scanning my hand, she told me I was already in the system. I explained that I had never had that done before, and that I would have known if I did. Then she decided there was a glitch in the system; there is another patient at the office by my name and somehow the computer was confusing us. I still can't get over the receptionist telling me I had to do this...and that I listened to her. The man in line behind me made a scene and nobody scanned his hand.

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I don't mind being scanned at all - I've done so many times for the immigration anyways... I think the more identity security we have, the better... What really scares me though is that there is another patient with your name and the system was confusing you??? How good is this system, and are both of your insurances safe from the same confusion happening for billing? What about in a case of emergency - can the records get mixed up again? was this fixed??

Originally Posted by carolinalima

I don't mind being scanned at all - I've done so many times for the immigration anyways... I think the more identity security we have, the better... What really scares me though is that there is another patient with your name and the system was confusing you??? How good is this system, and are both of your insurances safe from the same confusion happening for billing? What about in a case of emergency - can the records get mixed up again? was this fixed??

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The part that really skeeved me was that they had the wrong name attached to someone else's records...the system is only as good as the idiots using it

Originally Posted by carolinalima

I don't mind being scanned at all - I've done so many times for the immigration anyways... I think the more identity security we have, the better... What really scares me though is that there is another patient with your name and the system was confusing you??? How good is this system, and are both of your insurances safe from the same confusion happening for billing? What about in a case of emergency - can the records get mixed up again? was this fixed??

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The receptionist said it was fixed. However, I am not so sure. There was a line forming behind me and she was frustrated. This was the first or second day they had used the system. However, I don't understand how it was confusing me with someone else, since it was supposed to be using my palm print. I know that's not the same as anyone else's. So if there is a mix-up, it could be a mess, both with medical allergies, etc. and insurance.

Originally Posted by JellyBella

The part that really skeeved me was that they had the wrong name attached to someone else's records...the system is only as good as the idiots using it

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and we all know there are a lot of idiots out there running stuff

I think it's a wonderful idea. I hope Canada starts doing it. Imagine not having to paw through my handbag looking for my health card! Yes!!!

As Sarah said, if I were in a car accident my health records would be available immediately which is awesome.

I would, however, talk to the folks when they aren't so busy to ensure that your palm print is matched to your information. I know even in our small community there are 3 folks with my name and the only way to identify each of us is by address. The palm print, if it were in correct correlation to the name and address would be an excellent ID tool. It would certainly cut down on forged health cards as well.

I don't mind having my hand scanned, it is a little freaky that the computer confused you with someone else. I stop at being micro chipped. I don't mind them using finger prints or any natural bodily identity because I was born with that, but a micro chip is differnt. Given how bad identity theft has become we are going to have to do something to stop people steeling from each other.