Ohio- based Genesis HealthCare System has deployed BIO-key International's finger-based biometric identification solutions, for staff to quickly, conveniently and securely establish their identity when ordering, verifying or administering medications through Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) as required by Ohio law.

In the initial rollout, 2,000 clinicians and staff use fingerprint biometrics to establish their identity in Genesis’s Epic software to order, verify or administer medications.

In the next phase of the project, Genesis is implementing fingerprint biometric user logon with Vergence, a single sign-on solution from Sentillion, a Microsoft company.

Genesis said that with the solutions in place, the company’s staff members can instantly establish their identity with the simple touch of a finger, giving them faster access to the systems they are authorized to use.

BIO-key International CEO Mike DePasquale said that theit fingerprint identification software is approved by the Ohio Pharmacy Board for two-factor authentication and complies with the new DEA e-prescription two-factor rules for dispensing controlled substances.

"This is the perfect solution to protect access to EMRs, not only for healthcare organizations in Ohio, but across the whole nation," DePasquale said.