A scenario using fingerprint:

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I have C.O.P.D., I get into a violent accident outside of my home someplace else. I do not have any form of identification on me at the place of the accident. I am incoherent or in coma, and I am taken to the emergency department at John C Lincoln (level one trauma center). EMTs cannot figure out who I am or what past histories or medications I may have or be on. When I arrive to the E.D. as the clock is ticking away my life or death chances, my fingerprint is taken. My chart pulls up and tells the charge nurse and physician not only who I am, but also my medical history with C.O.P.D., what current medications I am taking, what my allergies may consist of and also, donor information. It is at this point, my physician is able to make decisions that will impact my treatment and life.

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Without Fingerprint:

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I have C.O.P.D., I get into a violent accident outside of my home someplace else. I do not have any form of identification on me at the place of the accident. I am incoherent or in coma, and I am taken to the emergency department at John C Lincoln (level one trauma center). EMTs cannot figure out who I am or what past histories or medications I may have or be on. When I arrive to the E.D. as the clock is ticking away my life or death chances, EMTs, the charge nurse, social services and physicians are involved in trying to identify any relative information that could lead to my history and identification. Extreme measures may be taken in order to access this information (i.e. calling the police to investigate neighbors around, nearby witnesses, a vehicle a might have been in or who that was issued to, etc...).

Fingerprint Access for Electronic Health Records By: Emily Fata Date: April 24, 2014