The contrasting approaches to digital ID in the U.S. versus UK healthcare system is very apparent by patient experiences. The U.S healthcare system is overridden with lengthy, intrusive and complicated processes as part of adopting a siloed identity and authentication model.
The participants of a USAID Digital Health Working Group have lobbied for an “infrastructure” approach to be taken to digital ID in the healthcare sector, which moves away from digitalising ID.
Care facilities and providers must bridge the quality of care services. Christine Kim, in charge of investments at Co-Develop, expressed this concern presenting to the working group where she said ID should be leveraged as digital public “infrastructure” to expand connecting other collections of data within the healthcare system.
For every first visit, US patients are asked to fill out 15-20 forms providing their personal information before commencing a “multi-mode” identity authentication. A receptionist is likely to check the “health insurance on your health insurance card is valid”, said Christine.
In contrast, the NHS Login offers a decentralised, one-time authentication for UK patients who retain control over their own data. Their identity check involves a simple process of uploading a photo with an official ID and selfie.
Public and private service providers engage in the system to pull only the necessary information they need from the patient for a specific visit.
