YOUR NEWBORN FOOTPRINTING SOLUTION

Over one million babies scanned!

About Our Company

WHO ARE WE?

CertaScan provides a 21st century solution to identifying infants in hospitals using a modern scanning technology and patented system to scan the feet of newborn babies. Footprints from birth are a recognized and viable way to uniquely identify each baby. Use of these footprints for forensic identification can be utilized throughout the life of the child.


Based on years of experience in the maternity setting and with the guidance from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), we have created a new “Gold Standard” process for identifying infants that is simple to implement and use in a hospital setting. Our Infant Safety System not only provides the digital capture and storage of newborn footprints but also includes the option of adding security photos and mom's index fingerprint.


The CertaScan system consists of advanced scanning equipment, our patented software and affiliated services including installation, training and maintenance. We make it available at an affordable fee per scan providing hospitals and parents with usable identification in critical situations such as abduction, switched babies, natural disasters and abandonments.


With CertaScan, hospitals can use a newborn’s footprints for their originally intended important purpose of baby identification. We even provide hospitals with the tools to place these footprints into electronic medical records (EMRs). Our system has quickly gained praise from hospital administrators, nurses, parents and law enforcement agencies and officials. To date, the CertaScan Infant Safety System has been used to scan the footprints of more than one million newborns.

What We Offer

CERTASCAN SYSTEM

The CertaScan system is a unique and patented set of equipment, software and services that has been years in the making. We make this available at an affordable price to our hospital partners. There is no upfront cost to installing the CertaScan system. The company only charges a fee per newborn foot scan.

With the CertaScan system, hospitals can identify infants, with certainty, from the time of birth, throughout their stay and for life.

  • The benefits of the CertaScan system includes

    • Completely digital capture of high resolution scan of infant’s foot prints
    • Real time ability to rescan for confirming identification
    • 24/7 access to a specialist who can confirm a baby’s identity in the event of need
    • Compliant with the latest NCMEC’s Infant Security Guidelines
    • Enhanced compliance with the Joint Commissions’ Patient Identification standard
    • Mitigates hospital risk profile by preventing baby switches and complying with strictest infant safety guidelines
    • Enhances hospital reputation by increasing patient satisfaction through delivery of highest quality infant safety measures

In addition to providing superior identification benefits, the CertaScan system provides far greater ease of use for hospitals:

  • CertaScan system provides far greater ease of use for hospitals

    • Nurse Friendly Software
    • Completely mobile equipment
    • Prints cobranded keepsake for parents
    • Prints copy for chart
    • Cuts down on Nurses’ time versus traditional methods
    • No cleanup of messy inks
    • On site training at installation
    • Web based training available whenever required
    • Quality assurance checks by CertaScan staff
    • Secure portal access to electronic version (for EMR/EHR)

The CertaScan system consists of hardware, patented software and a system for scanning newborn footprints.

"WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR A DIGITAL SOLUTION FOR FOOTPRINTING FOR 15 YEARS."

Cathy Nahirny

Senior Analyst, Infant Abduction Care, NCMEC

Our Partners

AFFILIATIONS

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Established in 1984, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® is the leading nonprofit organization in the U.S. working with law enforcement, families and the professionals who serve them on issues related to missing and sexually exploited children.

READ MORE

AWHONN

AWHONN’s mission is to improve and promote the health of women and newborns and to strengthen the nursing profession through the delivery of superior advocacy, research, education and other professional and clinical resources to nurses and other health care professionals.

READ MORE

"THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR A FOOT SCANNING SYSTEM IS A TREMENDOUS ADVANCEMENT IN THE CRITICAL NEED TO MAKE A SPEEDY POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF NEWBORNS IN ABDUCTION CASES."

John Rabun

ACSW, Director Infant Abduction Response, NCMEC

Most Common Questions

CERTASCAN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CERTASCAN BENEFITS

  • What are the full benefits that CertaScan provides hospitals?

    • Back up to wristband security used in maternity wards
    • Precise ID for baby switches in hospital (photos not good enough and DNA cannot differentiate identical twins)
    • Precise ID for abductions and found babies and young children (DNA testing takes too long and costs too much)
    • Provides for biometric ID in electronic medical records (EMRs)
    • More precise, usable, faster and cleaner than ink/inkless processes (to nurses, hospitals, moms)
    • Develops biometric ID database for babies for hospitals
    • Reduces insurance fraud
    • Reduces risk of hospital lawsuits (from incorrect baby ID)
    • Enhances hospital security status (vs. non-adoptors)
    • Serves as deterrent to potential abductors (another means by which babies can be identified)
    • Confirmation of baby’s identification for concerned moms

THE CERTASCAN SYSTEM

  • Why scan the feet of newborns vs. other biometric methods?

    The foot print does not change with age, it is just like a finger print. The problem with taking a baby’s finger print is that they tend to clench their hands early on and one has the risk of hurting the infant trying to get the hand open. In addition, the fingers are really small. Iris scans will not work because babies tend to close their eyes often and their iris’ change shape – often until age 2.

  • What type of technology does CertaScan use?

    It uses LiveScan high resolution image capture technology.

  • Is the technology safe for babies?

    The scanner uses low voltage imaging technology that is entirely safe.

  • What does the CertaScan system consist of?

    The CertaScan system consists of advanced scanning equipment, our patented software and affiliated services including installation, training and maintenance. Hospitals can also choose to add infant security photos and mom's index fingerprints to the digital records.

  • Does CertaScan provide footprint keepsakes to moms for free?

    Yes. When a nurse scans a baby’s foot, a copy of the foot print is printed out on an attractive “Baby’s First Foot Print” certificate with the baby’s name, birth date and time, weight and height. The hospital’s logo is also put on the certificate. When mom gets home, she can go to the company's website, www.firstfootprint.com and (1) download and print a copy of the certificate she received at the hospital, (2) download a digital copy of her baby's footprint for safekeeping and (3) customize her newborn's footprint certificate by adding baby's name in a choice of fonts, adding color to the certificate and placing a choice of borders around it.

  • Is CertaScan HIPAA compliant?

    CertaScan is HIPAA compliant. The company does not have any access to Patient Medical Information. Captured data and images are encrypted to meet the Federal Information Process Standard (FIPS) 140-2 encryption.

  • Who will have access to the footprint images CertaScan takes of newborns?

    When a newborn footprint is taken in a hospital, it is loaded into a fully secure database that can only be retrieved by the hospital where the footprint is taken and by the mother of the newborn. Access to the database requires a password.

  • Can the digitally scanned footprints be put into electronic medical records?

    The digitally scanned foot print can be loaded by the hospital into the patient’s electronic medical record.

  • How can a hospital get started with CertaScan?

    • The best way to reach CertaScan is by phone (1-800-240-9232), by email (info@certascantek.com) or filling out the form in the Contact Us section of this website.
    • Once you contact us, we will schedule a call and/or an in-hospital visit/demo with you and your team to review the CertaScan Infant Safety System.
    • Next steps will include information sharing, completing forms (including your standard hospital Business Associate Agreement) and the signing of a service contract.

INFANT ABDUCTIONS

  • When was the most recent child abduction from a hospital?

    The most recent child abduction from a health care facility in the U.S. occurred on October 22, 2020, in Monroe, Louisiana from St. Francis Medical Center.According to Louisiana State Police, the baby was taken from St. Francis Medical Center just after 11:20 p.m. Subsequently, Louisiana State Police issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory on behalf of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office. According to police, the possible father, 35-year-old Travis Hargrove, left the hospital with the baby hidden in a black backpack. The infant was found unharmed and returned to the hospital.

  • How often do newborn abductions take place?

    According to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), there have been 337 reported cases of abducted infants in the United States from 1965 through December 2022 (one involving a set of twins). Forty two percent of these cases have been from healthcare facilities and the rest from mother’s homes and other places. These abductions are wrenching experiences for the parents and child and almost 23% of the time result in violence. Through the great efforts of NCMEC and numerous law enforcement agencies, most of the abducted babies were found. However, the risk of another abduction continues to exist, and hospitals and moms must be vigilant and not become complacent. There have been a number of attempted abductions that have occurred in U.S. hospitals and outside the hospital buildings.

  • What is the typical profile of an infant abductor?

    This list of characteristics was developed from an analysis of 334 cases occurring from 1964 through September 2021.


    • Usually a female of childbearing age who appears pregnant.
    • Most likely compulsive; most often relies on manipulation, lying and deception.
    • Frequently indicates she has lost a baby or is incapable of having one.
    • Often married or cohabitating; companion’s desire for a baby or the abductor’s desire to provide her companion with “his” baby may be the motivation for the abduction.  
    • Usually lives in the community where the abduction takes place.
    • Frequently initially visits nursery and maternity units at more than one health care facility prior to the abduction; asks detailed questions about procedures and the maternity floor layout; frequently uses a fire exit stairwell for her escape; and may also try to abduct from the home setting.
    • Usually plans the abduction but does not necessarily target a specific infant; frequently seizes any opportunity present to abduct a baby.
    • Frequently impersonates a nurse or other allied health care personnel.  
    • Often becomes familiar with health care staff members, staff member work routines and victim parents.
    • Often demonstrates a capability to provide care to the baby once the abduction occurs, within her emotional and physical abilities.
  • Have footprints been used to identify infants abducted from hospitals?

    Methods used to identify infants abducted from hospitals – upon recovery – 1983 to present. View More ⮞


CURRENT FOOT PRINTING PRACTICES

  • How many hospitals capture baby foot prints?

    Sixty five percent (65%) of US hospitals still use ink or inkless paper methods for foot printing infants. Due to its ineffectiveness for identification it devolved into a mere keepsake for parents. The balance of US hospitals have ceased taking footprints. In some states it is the law that hospitals take footprints and in many other states it is highly recommended by hospital associations and the law enforcement community. The CertaScan system is compliant with the latest NCMEC’s Infant Security Guidelines. Furthermore, enhanced compliance is in line with the Joint Commissions’ Patient Identification standard.

YOUR NEWBORN FOOTPRINTING SOLUTION

CERTASCAN

Contact CertaScan Technologies

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO CONTACT US

Send Us A Message

Call Us Today

Our Fax

877-899-1022

Contact Us

Join Our Team

CAREERS

TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

  • Learn more about Technical Support Specialist

    CertaScan Technologies LLC is looking for a Technical Support Specialist who would be responsible for responding to tech support requests from our clients, tracking issues, collating reports, setting up and configuring laptops and units, performing hardware component and software repairs and replacements, authoring documentation, and conducting testing as required. Participate in team schedules on call support for evening and weekend coverage; may need to travel to client locations on occasion. Responsible for taking ownership of reported customer issues and seeing complex problems through to resolution; diagnosing, troubleshooting, and identifying solutions to customer hardware and software issues (including laptop internal components); building new units, setting up software, performing repairs or replacements of laptops and components; maintaining asset tracking and inventory processes for components in manufacturing center and field; prepping components and full units for shipping; following standard procedures for proper communication and escalation of issues to the appropriate internal and external teams as needed; providing prompt and accurate feedback to customers; ensuring proper recording and closure of all issues in company contact management system; preparing accurate and timely reports; documenting knowledge base, decision trees, processes and work flows, and technical specs as necessary; testing new components, interoperability and performing applications updates as necessary. Requires a bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or the equivalent, plus two years' experience (equivalent part time experience will be accepted) in technical support, IT support, or as a technical engineer. Strong familiarity with Windows 8 and 10 operating systems, computer hardware, software configuration and device drivers; familiarity with Unix/Linux a plus; familiarity with MySQL, ShareConnect, Webex, and network fundamentals helpful. If interested, please email resume and cover letter to career@certascantek.com.

Share by: