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Fujitsu Limited's recent product release may seem like science fiction, but it's firmly based in reality.

Fujitsu, partnering with Allscripts, recently introduced the Allscripts Patient Kiosk, a revolutionary way for health care patients to confirm their identities. The kiosk allows individuals to rest their palm above a reader where an infrared light scans their palm and reads the vein mapping or patterns in the hand. The reader is quick, painless and simple to use. Fujitsu built upon their Palm Secure technology to bring this product to market. More accurate than fingerprint scans and more inviting than retinal scans, this may be the future of patient identity verification.

New patients will still need to fill-out or type-in their vital information, but once that information is matched with their biometric template, they will be able to quickly check-in for procedures without having to complete paperwork each time or worry about the security of that filled-out paperwork.

Currently, three major U.S. hospital groups are using the Palm Secure technology for their patient records. However, Springfield Clinic, is the first to use the self-service kiosk.

"Physician practices are always on the lookout for ways to lower costs while improving patient satisfaction, and the Allscripts Patient Kiosk is the answer," said James Hewitt, Chief Information Officer of Springfield Clinic, a 260-provider multi-specialty physician group with 24 locations in Springfield, Ill. and the surrounding 14 counties. "Patients love the kiosk because they are in control." Springfield, who co-developed the health care solution with Allscripts to work on the medical kiosk from Fujitsu, will be deploying 50 of the kiosks this quarter.

Beyond just health care, the Palm Secure technology also serves as a method to prevent physical access into an area as well. Fujitsu currently uses it in their headquarters to prevent access by unauthorized individuals into restricted areas. There has also been interest by companies looking to bring an added layer of security to their properties.