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INDUSTRY
Healthcare
COMPANY SIZE
KEY OUTCOMES
5x
Growth in Digital Check-In Adoption
Increased from 2% to 10% within six months.
1500+
Hours Redirected to Care
Allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks such as assisting patients with complex needs.
$2M+
in Potential Savings1 per 25K Patients
95% patient match rate supporting faster check-in and avoiding costly downstream fixes.
Overview
Wellstar, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated health systems, partnered with CLEAR to reimagine patient check-in, turning a slow and often frustrating part of the patient journey into a moment of ease and trust. Enabled by CLEAR1 and Epic’s integrated solution, Wellstar became the first health system in the U.S. to bring CLEAR1’s technology into a hospital setting.
Through this integration, Wellstar saw an opportunity to simplify operations, enhance the patient experience, and build confidence from the very first interaction.
“Our patients’ time is precious. Introducing CLEAR’s proven secure technology is helping make the check-in process even more efficient and safe. When combined with the compassionate care Wellstar clinicians provide, we are delivering a truly world-class experience.”
–Dr. Hank Capps, EVP and Chief Information and Digital Officer for Wellstar Health System and President of Catalyst by Wellstar
The Challenge
Across healthcare, the patient check-in experience remains one of the most visible pain points in the care journey. Despite widespread investment in digital tools, many check-ins still depend on manual ID checks, paper forms, and repetitive data entry—processes that slow down operations and create friction for both patients and team members.
For health systems, these inefficiencies have tangible consequences: data errors that create duplicate records, claim denials, and costly administrative rework, as well as longer wait times that erode patient satisfaction and loyalty. Improving this first touchpoint is essential to driving operational efficiency, data integrity, and better patient experiences.
To create a more trustworthy first touchpoint, Wellstar set out to redesign check-in with a process anchored in identity to increase efficiency for both patients and team members.
The Solution
Wellstar leveraged CLEAR1’s integration with Epic Welcome, embedding secure identity verification into kiosks and handheld tablets. Patients can now verify their identity and check in with a quick selfie, replacing manual ID checks and redundant paperwork with a faster, more secure process.
How it Works
A few days before their appointment, patients receive a text message inviting them to register with CLEAR. First-time users complete a quick, one-time setup by taking a selfie and uploading a government-issued ID, which can be done on a mobile device ahead of their visit. When they arrive, verified patients simply click “Check-in with CLEAR” at the kiosk or tablet, enter their phone number, and take a selfie to confirm their identity in seconds and begin the check-in process.
What feels effortless for patients represents meaningful operational improvement for Wellstar. By connecting every visit to a verified identity, Wellstar can reduce redundant data entry, improve data accuracy, and allow the front-desk team to focus on higher-value tasks such as assisting patients with complex needs.
Following a successful pilot at Avalon Health Park in May 2024, Wellstar quickly expanded to four additional health parks and Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. Building on this momentum, Wellstar is extending CLEAR1’s solution across new touchpoints for patients and team members—setting the stage for broader system-wide adoption.
Why CLEAR?
Wellstar chose CLEAR1 for its ability to deliver measurable impact across operations, patient experience, and data integrity.
Operational Efficiency
With CLEAR1’s Epic Welcome integration, Wellstar deployed a solution that fit seamlessly into its infrastructure without heavy IT lift. Together, this joint solution improves front desk throughput and data accuracy by reducing the burden of manual lookups and verification.
CLEAR1’s ability to operate across both physical kiosks and handheld tablets was another key differentiator. While many identity providers are limited to experiences on mobile devices, CLEAR1 brings its expertise from physical environments––like airports––into healthcare settings, extending identity assurance to meet the needs of in-person care.
Seamless Patient Experience
The CLEAR1 verification experience is built around ease, and for Wellstar patients, that means a simple, intuitive, and fast check-in every time. With a reusable identity, patients no longer have to repeatedly enter information or present physical documents to check-in.
The process also benefits providers. With high patient match rates (95%) and a reduction in duplicate records, CLEAR1 helps ensure that clinicians have access to complete and accurate patient histories––ultimately improving the quality of care that patients receive.
Compliance and Data Integrity
CLEAR brings more than 15 years of experience operating in highly regulated industries, including TSA-regulated environments, to healthcare. For Wellstar, that meant partnering with a provider that understands the stakes of protecting sensitive health data and maintaining compliance.
CLEAR1 is built with privacy at its core. As an opt-in solution, patients retain full control of their information throughout the process. And by managing the most sensitive component of identity verification––biometrics––CLEAR1 ensures that health systems never have to handle or store this data directly.
The Results
Within six months, digital check-in adoption grew 5x, from 2% to 10%, as patients embraced the simplicity of CLEAR. Engagement was especially strong among patients aged 45+, including individuals up to 95 years old. Nearly three out of four patients (73%) who used the technology reported they would use CLEAR again, signaling growing trust and satisfaction with the new experience.
With CLEAR1, Wellstar was able to achieve a 95% patient match rate. By linking appointments to a verified identity, they are also able to uncover and correct duplicate patient records before visits, helping reduce costly administrative rework and improving data accuracy. Addressing these issues early also reduces the likelihood of claim denials and strengthens care continuity for both patients and providers. Collectively, these improvements are projected to deliver $2 million in savings for every 25,000 patients verified.
5x
Growth in Digital Check-In Adoption
Increased from 2% to 10% within six months.
1500+
Hours Redirected to Care
Allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks such as assisting patients with complex needs.
$2M+
in Potential Savings1 per 25K Patients
95% patient match rate supporting faster check-in and avoiding costly downstream fixes.
The result is a check-in experience that’s not only faster, but also smarter and safer, helping Wellstar maintain accurate, duplicate-free records that improve downstream care coordination.
What’s Next?
With a rollout planned across more than 150 locations, the partnership is extending beyond check-in to enhance additional workflows such as MyChart account creation and recovery, workforce account recovery, and online scheduling.
Together, Wellstar and CLEAR are shaping the next generation of healthcare experiences—connected, secure, and delivering a more seamless start to care.
1 Based on cost avoidance estimates of $655 per duplicate record, Health Information Management Clinical Data Integrity Team
