Smart
Card Interface
Health institutions
and health providers in the world are rapidly
introducing health-care information systems.
Deployment of the latest smart card technology
is common to several of these projects and is
envisaged as becoming a regular component in
the coming years. The evolution of smart-card-based
medical information systems is oriented not
only to manipulation of health-related data
but also to support of all transactions in the
health-care sector.
The Health
Smart Card is a credit card-sized plastic smart
card embedded with a computer chip that contains
the personal, medical and insurance information
needed most in a medical setting. The cards
can be read by Smart Card readers carried in
participating emergency response vehicles and
by PC-based readers located in participating
hospital emergency rooms, physician offices,
clinics, pharmacies, and retirement facilities.
Participants
carry the card with them at all times, giving
medical personnel immediate access to their
concise medical history, current medications,
allergies, the names and telephone numbers of
family or friends, and other information necessary
for medical
treatment decisions.
The Health Smart Card allows participating medical
personnel to respond to a patient's needs more
effectively because pertinent information is
immediately available when and where it is needed.
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