Medical data held on card

Press, 14 May 1985, Page 30

Medical data held on card

NZPA-AP Baltimore Maryland’s largest health insurer says it will give its subscribers membership cards that can each hold up to 800 pages of benefit and medical data, a reproduction of a photograph and a signature reproduction. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maryland unveiled its Lifecard, which stores information on a laser optic memory strip that is similar to those found on the back of bank cards, but wider.

The Lifecard is about the size of a credit card, and the front looks like an ordinary health benefit card.

“We believe it will revolutionise the administration of health care,” said a company spokesman. “The Lifecard will save time. It will save money, but more- importantly it will save lives,” he said. X-rays and results of

electrocardiograms will be among the data the memory strip can hold. Maryland Blue Cross and Blue Shield expects the card to be in use by all its 1.6 million members within the next two years, the company said. Eventually, the Lifecard system could be made available to Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies throughout the country. A personal computer and Lifecard system software could be used to store, retrieve and update data on the card.

Hospitals would be able to buy the software from the company for about JUS3OOO (5NZ6630). The software would allow a doctor to gain access to specific facts about patients without looking through their entire medical history. Security access codes built into the software protect cardholders’ personal information.