Opportunities for smart cards in the healthcare market.(News)

Against a background where the use of information technology (IT) has become ubiquitous in all areas of healthcare, from medical records to patient management, smart cards have rapidly emerged as a key component of the system, according to the latest report from HBS Consulting.

These cards, combining both storage and processing capability, can be used for storing medical data, proving entitlement to services and giving access to healthcare networks. Research by HBS Consulting shows that while data storage was originally assumed to be the major opportunity in the healthcare market, in fact proof of entitlement has become the dominant role for smart cards in Europe.

A second emerging trend detailed in the report is the use of Public Key Infrastructures (PKI) to allow controlled access to data stored on networks. In this model the smart card contains encrypted keys and pointers allowing healthcare professionals to access patient data, which may be stored on a variety of different networks. This usage could be extended to patient health cards, an option which is already under active consideration in France.

Patient record storage has found a place in some medical specialities: the Parkinson Pass in The Netherlands is one example that is examined in the report.

Smart cards are in use, or about to be introduced, in many European countries, and HBS says its publication lists the schemes that are currently in place, with detailed information on each. The operational, technical and organizational aspects of these schemes are explored in detail, as are the obstacles, lessons learned and ultimate benefits realized by each one. The report also details the political and commercial implications of these initiatives, revealing emerging trends and discussing the realities of the timescales in ...