Smart cards in healthcare are small plastic cards with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. These integrated chips store, manage, analyze, and process data and can also hold important information. Smart cards are paper or digital versions of clinical information, such as vaccination history or test results. Smart health cards can either be printed on paper or digital. Smart cards can provide personal identification, authentication, data storage, and application processing. IC chips make the smart card suitable for different electronic applications. These chips are used to store, calculate, manage, and access personal data or information when needed. Thus, smart cards are widely used in a wide variety of health care services.
Smart cards in healthcare perform encrypted algorithms and are safe compared to magnetic strip cards. Smart cards store and manage vital information such as finances, personal health information, and more. Moreover, in healthcare, smart cards are responsible for various value-added features that are beneficial to both patients and providers.
In some parts of the world, people who received vaccines or are fully vaccinated obtain a SMART Health Card as proof of their vaccination on their digital device. A smart card is a printed or digital QR code that provides proof of vaccination or shows recent test results. In the United States, smart health cards are only available in certain states, such as California, New York, and Louisiana, for those who got vaccinated at state-run sites. However, the use of smart cards is expected to spread across the country in the coming future.Smart cards in healthcare offer various advantages such as helping enhance the confidentiality and security of patient data, maintaining accurate identification, securing access to emergency medical situations, reducing healthcare fraud, ease in payment and securing medical records. Smart cards provide secure storage and easy distribution of data. This in turn is expected to increase the use of smart cards in healthcare.