How TSPs Can Transform Hospital Safety and Efficiency

Emerging identification technologies are shaping the future of hospital check-in. Here’s why technology solutions providers (TSPs) are key to empowering safer, more productive patient journeys. 

Hospitals across Europe are embracing digital transformation to redefine patient experiences, improve safety, and comply with ever-stricter regulations. At the very heart of this evolution lies a deceptively simple process: the patient check-in. For technology solutions providers (TSPs), this step presents a unique, high-impact opportunity to partner with healthcare leaders in shaping secure, streamlined environments. Accurate patient identification and traceability aren’t just administrative concerns – they underpin every aspect of safe, effective care.

The Patient Check-In Challenge

Mistaken identity in hospitals isn’t a distant worry, it’s a real, persistent threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights patient misidentification as a leading cause of medical errors globally, resulting in wrong-site surgeries, medication mistakes, and billing complications. In the EU, initiatives such as the European Health Data Space (EHDS) underscore how cross-country patient mobility intensifies the need for consistent, verified identification systems.

Accurate check-in processes:

• Reduce clinical risks and prevent “never events”
• Enable swift contact tracing in infection outbreaks (as shown during COVID-19)
• Fulfil General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and EHDS requirements for data integrity and patient consent.

Wristbands to Biometrics Reshape Check-In

Modern European hospitals now deploy a layered arsenal of patient identification technologies:

• Barcoded Wristbands: Long regarded as the standard, barcode-enabled IDs eliminate manual entry errors and integrate seamlessly with electronic health record (EHR) systems. When scanned at every stage of care, they help ensure clinicians “match” the right patient to the proper treatment.
• Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID): RFID wristbands offer faster, contactless check-ins and can track a patient’s location throughout the facility, aiding workflow optimisation and real-time traceability.
• Biometric Systems: Fingerprint, palm vein, or facial recognition technology for registration and self-check-in kiosks reduces both the risk of identity fraud and reliance on physical tokens. Notably, several European hospitals have piloted biometrics, reporting reduced duplicate records and administrative costs.

But deploying these systems is more than a technical task. It demands managing interoperability with legacy IT, protecting sensitive data, and educating end-users on seamless workflows.

TSPs as Digital Transformation Partners

Technology providers are uniquely positioned to guide healthcare clients through this complex but rewarding transformation. Consider these opportunities:

1. Integration Expertise: Healthcare IT environments are notoriously fragmented, with paper records, legacy databases, and multiple software vendors. TSPs can bridge these gaps – ensuring new check-in systems (barcoded, RFID, biometric) connect with EHRs, lab systems, and reporting tools, driving a single source of truth.
2. End-to-End Security: A 2023 ENISA report flagged health data breaches as the most damaging cyber incidents for European citizens. Secure authentication and encryption, GDPR-compliant data management, and role-based access controls are must-haves. TSPs can differentiate by offering continuous threat monitoring, incident response, and privacy-by-design policies.
3. Managed Support and Analytics: Hospitals need ongoing support – software updates, device calibration, and staff training. TSPs can add value with managed services that reduce downtime. Further, analytics on patient flow and traceability can illuminate bottlenecks and support continuous process optimisation – a potent advantage for resource-strapped providers.
4. Compliance Consulting: With evolving standards like HL7 FHIR for health data exchange and upcoming EHDS mandates, TSPs can help demystify compliance, guiding providers on both technical implementation and ethical considerations.
   
   

Building the Business Case

For TSPs targeting healthcare, articulating ROI is key. Some compelling data points to share with prospective clients:

• The Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics review encompassing 16 studies noted a 23%–56% reduction in medication errors after introducing patient barcode medication administration (BCMA) solutions.
• Outfitting its medical devices with active and passive RFID tags saved Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) hundreds of thousands of pounds and thousands of hours of nurses’ time, according to the hospital’s head of clinical engineering.
• According to Black Book Research’s 2025 survey of 442 healthcare executives in 13 European countries, a surge in adoption of AI, automation, and virtual care solutions is reshaping hospitals in response to acute workforce shortages and operational pressures. For example, over 90% of German healthcare leaders reported investing in AI-powered scheduling and remote patient monitoring. In comparison, 82% of French executives cited staff burnout as the key driver for deploying virtual nursing assistants and automated administrative tools.

The Way Forward

As Europe’s healthcare sector accelerates its digital journey, secure and efficient check-in cannot be overlooked. For TSPs, this isn’t just a foot in the door; it’s a foundation for strategic, long-term collaboration – improving patient safety, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance. By focusing on interoperability, security, managed support, and compliance consulting, technology partners can become indispensable in building safe, patient-centric hospitals.

By connecting the dots between technology and patient care, you can help European hospitals ensure every patient’s journey starts, and ends, safely.