Portable Patient Medical Information Storage

Portable USB devices can now be used to store personal medical information. There are several versions including MedicAlert, Med-Info Chip and MedicTag that store general medical information, such as personal identification data, emergency contacts, and even photos. They also store information about prior and present medical conditions, allergies, immunizations, and prostheses. In addition, documents can be scanned into the UBS device, such as EKG results, birth certificates, and X-rays.

The devices are literally a thumb drive that can be plugged into any computer in order to access the medical information. The chip currently is not password-protected, but one developer from Boston University, is working on a dual password system that would allow clinicians to access the information in an emergency but prevent changes from being made. It is thought that having the device password protected would hinder doctors accessing the information in times of emergency.

The device developed in Boston comes in "garish yellow", can hang on your key chain, and sells for around $70 for a single user version, and $100 for a double-user version. The device is perfect for medical emergencies where clinicians can plug it in and retrieve data otherwise unknown about the patient.

The military have employed an Electronic Information Carrier (EIC) that give medics in the field fast access to a patient's history, and do not have the luxury of paper copies of records. Unlike the device developed in Boston, the military use a wireless device that is read by a handheld. In the event that there is no wireless signal, the EIC can be plugged in to the handheld just as the USB device can.