AUSTRALIAN HEALTH-CARE - A SMART CARD FOR A CLEVER COUNTRY

In this paper we give an overview of smart card technology how a smart card could be used as a healthcare card and the benefits that would m ost likely result from doing so. The smart card memory can be zoned in to different security levels. The top security zone may contain an ind ividual's full medical history while the lowest security zone may cont ain the cardholders name and address. Access to the different zones de pends on the level of security of the zone. The higher the security le vel the more restrictive the access method. Were smart cards adopted f or the storage of medical histories it would change the form of medica l information recorded, not merely convert paper files to electronic o nes. Storage of an individual's medical history on a smart card raises important privacy issues. These privacy issues are discussed particul arly as they relate to the Australian community.