Empowering Healthcare Professionals with Verifiable Credentials and Self-Sovereign Identity

Talao, Europe’s leading provider of digital identity wallets since 2017, is excited to announce that Werify has chosen our Wallet as a Service technology to power its latest collaboration with ElConsentimiento.com. This partnership will strengthen the digital identity of medical professionals by enabling the issuance of verifiable credentials in alignment with the forthcoming European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI) and the newly approved EU eIDAS2 regulation.

ElConsentimiento.com, the premier digital informed consent platform developed by DS Legal Group, is transforming how medical professionals engage with patients by providing over 1,500 digital consent templates across 43 specialties.

To further enhance security and streamline processes, ElConsentimiento.com is integrating Self-Sovereign Identity solutions into their platform. This is where Werify comes into play. 

Bringing Self-Sovereign Identity and Verifiable Credentials to healthcare with Werify and Talao

Werify is a pioneer in developing solutions that enable the adoption of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) across both business and public sectors. By providing the essential technology for issuing, storing, and verifying SSI-based credentials, Werify empowers medical organizations and professionals to securely manage their digital identities.

But what exactly is Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)? SSI is a revolutionary approach to digital identity management that gives individuals and organizations complete control over their digital credentials. Here is how it works:

1. Issuing verifiable credentials 

Werify enables medical organizations, such as hospitals, to issue verifiable credentials to professionals. These credentials can include medical licenses, certifications, or proof of employment. Each credential is cryptographically signed, making it tamper-proof and compliant with European regulations such as the eIDAS2 framework, which sets the standard for digital trust and identity in the EU.

2. Storing and managing verifiable credentials 

Once issued, these digital credentials are stored and managed by the credential holder, i.e., the medical professionals themselves. To do so, they use the Werify-branded mobile wallet — powered by Talao’s wallet backend. This wallet gives professionals full control over their digital credentials, allowing them to store, view, and selectively share their information with third parties when necessary.

3. Verifying healthcare professionals' credentials 

Werify’s verification technology allows verifiers, such as hospitals, clinics, or conference organizers, to instantly check the authenticity of any credential. When a verifier needs to confirm someone's credentials, they can request them by displaying a QR code or sharing a secure link. The individual being verified scans the QR code or clicks the link using their digital wallet. They can then review the request and choose which credential to share. The organization can instantly confirm that the credential is valid, unaltered, and issued by a trusted authority.

This quick and secure process eliminates the need for manual checks, making it ideal for verifying a doctor’s credentials before granting access to sensitive data, restricted areas, or exclusive events.

This self-sovereign identity model (Issuer - Holder - Verifier) not only secures data sharing but also preserves user privacy, minimizing the risk of identity theft while boosting trust between parties. So, how does this work in practice for healthcare professionals?

Let’s explore a few real-world scenarios to see SSI in action 👇

Real-World Applications of Self-Sovereign Identity in Healthcare

Example 1: Using verifiable credentials for secure access to medical facilities 🏨

Scenario: A medical professional needs to access a restricted area within a hospital.

How it works:

1. Credential issuance: The hospital issues a verifiable credential to the doctor, verifying their identity and authorization level. This credential includes information such as the doctor’s name, role, and areas of access.
2. Storing credentials: The professional stores the credential securely in their Werify mobile wallet, powered by Talao's wallet backend.
3. Verification: Upon reaching the restricted area, the doctor scans a QR code displayed on a tablet at the entrance.
4. Instant verification: The system instantly verifies the credential, confirming the doctor’s identity and validating that they have permission to access that specific area.
5. Access granted: The door automatically unlocks, allowing the doctor to enter without needing to present a physical badge or go through manual identity checks.

Benefits:

• Enhanced security: Ensures that only verified personnel gain access to sensitive areas, reducing the risk of unauthorized entry.
• Time efficiency: Automated verification speeds up the process, eliminating wait times.
• Hands-free convenience: Doctors can access facilities quickly without carrying physical badges or IDs.

Example 2: How verifiable credentials enhance secure patient data access 🔐

Scenario: A specialist needs to access a patient’s sensitive medical records to review their treatment history and make informed decisions regarding their ongoing care. Ensuring that only authorized personnel can access such information is critical for maintaining patient privacy and data security.

How it works:

1. Credential verification request: Before the specialist can access the patient’s records, the hospital’s electronic health record (EHR) system initiates a credential verification request. The system prompts the specialist to prove their identity and role as a qualified medical professional.
2. SSI wallet authentication: Using their SSI wallet, the specialist selects the relevant verifiable credential (e.g., medical license or employment verification) and shares it with the EHR system for validation.
3. Instant access granted: The EHR system verifies the credentials in real time, confirming the specialist’s identity and permissions. Upon successful validation, access to the patient’s medical records is immediately granted.
4. Compliance logging (Audit Trail): Every access attempt is securely logged in an immutable audit trail, detailing who accessed the data, when, and for what purpose. This ensures complete transparency and regulatory compliance, safeguarding patient privacy.

Benefits:

• Data security: Ensures that only authorized specialists can view sensitive patient data, minimizing the risk of breaches.
• Compliance: The audit trail meets strict compliance standards by maintaining a transparent record of all access activities.
• Streamlined workflow: Specialists can quickly access the data they need without delays, improving the quality and speed of patient care.

Example 3: Streamlining conference registration for medical professionals with verifiable credentials 🪪

Scenario: A doctor registers for an international medical conference.

How it works:

1. Credential issuance: The organizer issues a digital conference badge as a verifiable credential to the doctor through Werify's system.
2. Credential storage: The doctor stores this conference badge securely in their Werify mobile wallet.
3. On-site check-in: At the event, the doctor scans a QR code using their mobile wallet, presenting their identity and conference badge.
4. Instant verification: The organizer's device verifies the credentials instantly, confirming the doctor's identity, registration and access rights.
5. Personalized experience: Based on their verified specialties, the doctor gains access to relevant sessions and receives tailored materials.

This process simplifies registration, enhances security, and provides a tailored conference experience for medical professionals.

This example is made possible by Werify’s solution, as it can convert any device—whether a smartphone or tablet—into a secure verification point. This key functionality simplifies real-world applications of SSI, such as accessing conferences, verifying professional credentials, or entering secure facilities.

Key benefits of Talao and Werify’s Self-Sovereign Identity solutions for healthcare

Leveraging SSI and verifiable credentials, Talao and Werify can provide several distinct advantages for medical professionals and organizations:

• Ownership: Professionals have complete control over their data, which is stored securely on their own devices instead of a central database.
• Privacy: With SSI, professionals can choose exactly what information to share and with whom, maintaining confidentiality and compliance with privacy regulations.
• Security: Each verifiable credential is cryptographically signed, reducing the risk of fraud, data manipulation, and unauthorized access.
• Reusability: Verifiable credentials can be reused across multiple services with a single click, providing flexibility and convenience for professionals.
• Simplified access: Log into ElConsentimiento.com and other compatible platforms effortlessly by scanning a QR code—no more remembering multiple passwords.
• Cost savings: Organizations save on verification expenses, as verifiable credentials are instantly verifiable and do not require manual checks.
• Instant verification: Verifications are completed in real-time, making onboarding and access to new services fast and hassle-free.

How Talao’s Wallet technology powers self-sovereign identity projects

Talao provides the wallet backend platform that powers highly customizable and configurable SSI mobile wallets. This allows partners like Werify to focus on their core strengths—credential issuance and verification—while ensuring a secure and user-friendly experience for medical professionals.

• Faster Time-to-Market: Deploy digital wallets in a few hours or days with a ready-to-use Wallet as a Service solution.
• Cost Efficiency: Achieve significant savings compared to building a custom solution from scratch.
• White-Label and Customization: Tailor the wallet’s features, parameters, and interface to align with specific brand and business goals.
• Flexible SLA Options: Choose support coverage that fits operational requirements, ranging from 8/5 to 24/7 availability.

Werify and Talao: A collaboration driving SSI innovation in healthcare

This collaboration exemplifies how specialized expertise can come together to create impactful solutions:

• Werify focuses on implementing issuers and verifiers, while transforming everyday devices into secure verification points.
• Talao provides the robust, scalable wallet backend and configurable SSI wallets to store, manage and present verifiable credentials.
• ElConsentimiento.com integrates these technologies to enhance the security and efficiency of its digital consent platform.

At Talao, we are very happy to support Werify in setting a new standard for digital identity solutions in healthcare. By combining talao’s wallet technology with their own technology, Werify provides a seamless and secure digital identity solution for medical professionals to claim, store, manage and present verifiable credentials.

About Talao

Talao is a leading provider of Wallet as a Service (WaaS) solutions, specializing in highly configurable digital identity wallets for organizations. Talao’s technology empowers businesses to issue, manage, and verify self-sovereign identity credentials with ease, ensuring compliance with the highest industry standards. With a robust wallet backend, a focus on security, and seamless integration capabilities, Talao supports organizations in deploying digital identity solutions quickly and efficiently. Trusted by partners across various sectors, Talao is dedicated to advancing the adoption of secure, user-centric digital identities worldwide.

For more information about Talao, please visit : https://talao.io 

About Werify

WERIFY develops cutting-edge products and services that enable the use of digital identities and self-managed verifiable credentials for business and public applications. The company’s technology transforms any device into a secure verification and control point, allowing organizations to leverage digital identities seamlessly across a range of platforms and services.

For more information about Werify, please visit : https://werify.eu

About ElConsentimiento.com

ElConsentimiento.com is a leading LegalTech platform in the healthcare sector, offering secure and comprehensive digital consent solutions that enhance the doctor-patient relationship. The platform enables the personalization, signing, and secure storage of digital consent forms, ensuring that these documents are always up-to-date and compliant with legal requirements through regular review by medical and legal experts. ElConsentimiento.com’s solution is designed to protect healthcare professionals and their clinics, and is available as a standalone web service or can be integrated directly into hospital information systems (HIS).

For more information about ElConsentimiento, visit : https://elconsentimiento.com