Smart cards capable of processing information and storing numerous
pages of a patient's vital health and demographic information will enable
better care, quicker retrieval of important medical information and
fewer billing errors, according to UPMC Health System of Pittsburgh,
PA, USA, which, in conjunction with UPMC Health Plan, are issuing them
to hundreds of their Health Plan members.
UPMC's smart card - dubbed the Healthcare Passport - addresses the
desire of a growing number of patients who want access to their medical
records as well as their concerns about privacy and security of such
information. In response to the latter, UPMC's smart card uses a number
of sophisticated security measures that make it nearly impossible for
strangers or unauthorized personnel to retrieve a patient's medical
information.
In times of emergency, paramedics and emergency rooms equipped with
card readers will be able to rapidly access potentially life-saving
information about a patient, such as allergies to medications and chronic
medical conditions. Card readers have been installed in the emergency
department of UPMC Presbyterian, a Level-I trauma center and one of
the busiest emergency departments in the state.
The Healthcare Passport means patients will no longer be required to
fill out clipboard forms every time they visit their doctors. And the
likelihood of their receiving an inaccurate bill should drastically
be reduced. About 90 percent of services denied by insurance companies
are due to clerical errors made at the time of registration for a clinical
service, insurance industry statistics indicate.
"This smart card makes it much easier for patients to interact
with the health care system on all levels. That's what is really important
here, making things easier for patients," says Patricia Liebman,
CEO of UPMC Health Plan.
"Smart cards are gaining in popularity in the consumer financial
sector, and we see tremendous value for their use in health care. Not
only do these cards have the potential to improve patient care and reduce
administrative and medical errors, the technology enables patients to
have access to their own information," adds Francis Solano, M.D.,
president and chief medical officer, Community Medicine, Inc., UPMC
Health System.
Dr. Solano's practice, Solano, Fiorillo, Coyle, Schmeltz and Associates,
is the site of the first phase of the UPMC smart card project. The office
will have card readers for staff to access and update patient information
during doctors' appointments, and a kiosk will allow patients to view
and suggest changes to their medical information in privacy and to obtain
a printed copy of the smart card record.
"It won't be long before most, if not all, emergency departments
and physician offices, even those not affiliated with UPMC, will have
smart card readers, which currently cost less than $50. And readers
are being integrated into most of the newer personal computers. There
is every reason to believe that the technology will be in wide use across
several industries," explains Scott Gilstrap, project director
for technology solutions, UPMC Health System.
"This technology not only solves our immediate security concerns
for granting access to electronic health records, but also provides
a feature-rich alternative to include a host of other applications which
provide improved medical care, improved access and convenience of care,
and at the same time enhance our business relationships."
UPMC's Healthcare Passport takes advantage of the latest smart card
technology, using a 64-kilobyte microchip, with 32 KB, or 32,000 characters,
devoted to applications and security, such as log-on applications and
operating systems. The remaining 32 KB is devoted to data storage. And
the information is compressed, so that more can be included.
All of the information is encrypted. Each card contains a unique secret
"key" that is required for deciphering or decrypting the text.
Patients will receive a unique PIN that will be required for them to
access their information. Unauthorized or questionable use of the card
will automatically deactivate it.
A patient's demographic, insurance or basic medical information, such
as allergies, conditions and immunizations, will be updated at each
doctor visit.
Soon, through a partnership with Mellon Financial Corporation's Global
Cash Management Division, patients will be able to deduct co-payments
for visits or pharmacy items or tap into flexible spending accounts,
no matter where they do their banking.
Other plans for the future include being able to store a patient's
list of current medications as well as a cash value for hospital parking,
gift shop and cafeteria purchases. Patients with smart card readers
will be able to access their medical records over the Internet; patients
without Internet access will be able to access and receive copies of
their information when visiting their doctors.
For more information, visit the website www.upmc.edu.