NEC: launches healthcare division, partners with Vocera

NEC Solutions America, a Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based subsidiary of NEC Corp. of Tokyo, has formed a healthcare information technology division called NEC Solutions America Health Care Solutions Division.
   
The division's first product is TouchPass, a single-sign-on application that includes biometric fingerprint recognition technology to authenticate users. TouchPass--which the company says can be deployed in five days--combines single-sign-on technology--from an undisclosed vendor partner--with biometrics technology from NEC.    

In addition, it can be installed without the biometrics functionality, NEC said.
   
Two New Jersey delivery systems, Virtua Health of Marlton and South Jersey Healthcare of Bridgeton, were TouchPass pilot sites. Several other organizations now are testing the software and the company said it will announce a 10,000 user license contract at the upcoming Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference, Feb. 13 - 17.
   
In related company news, NEC announced this week that its healthcare division will begin offering the Vocera Communications System developed by Vocera Communications Inc., a developer of wireless communications systems.
   
The wireless device is a wearable instant communication system that offers staff-to-staff communication and interaction.
   
NEC said it will be combining the Vocera Communications System translation services, enabling healthcare staff to instantly communicate with patients via medically trained translators in 150 languages. By touching the call button and speaking the name of the language required, a physician will be immediately connected with an appropriate interpreter to translate a diagnosis directly for a patient, NEC said.

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