In medical settings, "patient identity confirmation" may seem basic, but it is the first line of defense for ensuring medical safety. Risks such as medication errors, wrong-patient surgeries, and medical insurance fraud often stem from flaws in identity verification. In recent years, iris recognition technology, with its unique biological characteristics, has gradually become the "preferred solution" for medical identity verification. It not only accurately identifies individuals but also adapts to complex medical environments. Currently, it has been implemented in many top-tier hospitals in China and is widely recognized by the medical industry for its technical advantages.
The core needs of medical identity verification are "accuracy, security, and efficiency," and the characteristics of iris recognition align perfectly with these requirements.
Uniqueness of Identity: Eliminating "Mistaken Identity" at the Source
Iris texture features form during embryonic development and remain unchanged for life. No two individuals in the world—including identical twins—have identical irises. Research by the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, confirms that the iris textures of identical twins differ significantly. The International Biometrics Organization (ISO/IEC 19794-6) standard classifies iris recognition as a high-precision biometric technology, with a false acceptance rate (FAR) far lower than traditional verification methods. This "uniqueness" makes it a "natural label" for medical identity verification:
For inpatients, iris recognition can directly link to medical records. Nurses can retrieve medication lists by scanning the iris before administering drugs. After implementation in a top-tier hospital in China, the medication error rate dropped significantly, technically avoiding fatal mistakes like "giving Patient A's medication to Patient B."
For patients requiring long-term treatment, such as dialysis or chemotherapy, iris recognition ensures the same person receives treatment each time, preventing mismatches in treatment plans due to "same names" or "similar medical records."
Strong Anti-Forgery Capability: Upholding the Bottom Line of "Person-Document Consistency"
Identity fraud in medical scenarios often has severe consequences: some fraudulently seek special drugs under others' names, while others steal others' medical insurance benefits for settlement. Iris recognition's "liveness uniqueness" technically blocks such risks:
It relies on the dynamic texture of living irises—such as blood vessel distribution and pigment details—for verification. Forgery methods like photos or 3D-printed masks cannot simulate the biological activity of real irises. Tests by the Ministry of Public Security's Forensic Science Institute show that iris recognition can effectively block attacks using 3D-printed iris membranes.
Compared to easily lost medical insurance cards or replicable fingerprints, irises are permanently bound to individuals and cannot be transferred or borrowed. In scenarios like special drug collection and medical insurance settlement, they accurately identify the actual patient, preventing "proxy swiping" or "misuse."
Adaptability to All Scenarios: An "Inclusive Technology" Unrestricted by Physical Conditions
The uniqueness of medical scenarios lies in patients often being in special states: intravenous needles in hands, post-surgical facial swelling, confusion...
Traditional verification methods often "fail," but iris recognition is compatible with these situations:
Fingerprint recognition relies on intact, clean fingers. If a patient has hand wounds, burns, or dry skin from long-term bed rest, recognition may fail. Facial recognition is easily obstructed by masks or facial swelling. Iris recognition only requires the patient to open their eyes, with no physical contact. Even with hand injuries or facial obstructions, verification can be completed as long as the eyes can open.
For groups unable to actively cooperate in "presenting documents," such as Alzheimer's patients, infants, and patients with impaired consciousness, iris recognition also works efficiently: infants only need to open their eyes briefly for the system to capture features; for confused patients, non-contact imaging enables quick verification, avoiding treatment delays due to cooperation issues.
Balancing Efficiency and Security: Making Verification "Fast and Accurate"
Medical scenarios are fast-paced, especially during peak outpatient hours and emergency rescues, where "quick verification" is as important as "accurate confirmation." Iris recognition excels in this aspect:
A single verification takes only a few seconds, much faster than manual medical record checks or card swiping + password input. In emergency rooms, quick identity confirmation saves valuable rescue time; in outpatient clinics, efficient verification reduces patient waiting times.
Long-term costs are lower: iris features remain stable for life, eliminating the need for regular replacement like medical insurance cards or updates to fingerprint templates due to skin changes. The non-contact design reduces equipment wear. Data from a hospital's application shows that its maintenance costs are significantly lower than traditional verification tools.
Reducing Cross-Infection: Aligning with Medical "Sterility Requirements"
Medical environments have strict "anti-infection" requirements, and the "non-contact nature" of iris recognition perfectly meets this need:
It requires no physical contact between patients and equipment. Unlike fingerprint scanners (needing pressing) or card swiping (needing contact), patients only need to look at the lens from 10-30 cm away to complete verification, reducing the risk of bacterial and viral transmission through equipment. This advantage is particularly important in sensitive areas such as infectious disease wards, neonatal departments, and ICUs, and aligns with the National Health Commission's encouragement of "non-contact operations."
Currently, iris recognition has been applied on a large scale in multiple medical scenarios, proving its value through practical results.
Full-Process Identity Verification for Inpatients
Large hospitals' inpatient departments have integrated iris recognition with electronic medical record (EMR) systems: patients' iris information is recorded upon admission, and in subsequent procedures such as infusion, blood collection, and surgery, medical staff can automatically retrieve corresponding medical records and treatment plans by scanning the patient's iris. After implementing this technology, a top-tier hospital in China not only reduced errors from "verbal confirmation" but also enabled traceability of medical behaviors through real-time operation tracking, significantly lowering prescription verification error rates.
Precision Verification for Hemodialysis Patients
Hemodialysis patients require regular long-term treatment, and identity confirmation before each session is necessary to match personalized plans. Some medical institutions in China have launched pilots, using iris recognition to drastically shorten verification time and avoid dialysis risks due to plan mismatches.
Management of Clinical Trial Participants
In clinical drug trials, "unique participant identity" is the foundation of reliable data. A pharmaceutical company introduced iris recognition in its clinical trials, effectively preventing duplicate enrollment and significantly improving data credibility. This application complies with the requirements for participant identity management in Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
Although iris recognition has demonstrated value in many top-tier hospitals, its potential is still being further unleashed. In the future, with reduced technical costs and algorithm optimization, it is expected to extend to more scenarios:
Popularization in primary-level hospitals: Lightweight iris collection devices may promote technology sinking, allowing rural patients to access precise verification.
Multimodal fusion: Combined with physiological indicators such as heart rate and blood oxygen, iris recognition can build a more comprehensive "identity + health" dual-core verification system, confirming both identity and basic vital signs in emergencies.
Binding with children's health records: After newborns' iris features stabilize, they can be linked to vaccination and physical examination records, solving the problem of disorganized records caused by "children without ID cards." Some medical institutions have already launched related pilots.
The core of healthcare is "people-centered," and identity verification is the prerequisite for "serving the right person in the right way." The value of iris recognition lies not only in its technical precision but also in its deep adaptation to medical scenarios—it safeguards safety through the uniqueness of biological features and meets needs through non-contact convenience, gradually becoming an indispensable part of the medical safety system. As technology continues to evolve, this "iris defense line" will build a safety barrier for more patients.
