RFID skin patches take aim at medical errors

They're far from the first to put RFID tags to use for medical tasks, but Frank Sammeroff Ltd and Gentag Inc. look to have a slightly less invasive solution than some of the implantable or edible options we've seen in the past, with them instead making use of a tried and true skin patch to keep tabs on patients. That, they hope, will help to reduce medical errors by letting doctors use their cellphone or handheld to update medical records and receive warnings of potential drug interactions, among other information. Of course, the patches aren't necessarily limited to medical applications, with Sammeroff also touting them as a possible solution for large organizations or amusements parks, and even as a means for parents to keep watch on their kids. No word on any takers just yet, but the patches are said to be "competitively priced," so if you're looking to bring a little paranoia into your organization, you might want to look into them.

[Blackster @ Nov 6th 2007 7:24AM]

nice idea, but they should tag medical equipment too!
once in a while you hear horrorstories about forgotten gauzetapes in stomachs and stuff *urgh*

[eX @ Nov 6th 2007 8:12AM]

Indeed! And for money for pay to be treated in a hospital doctors need to exercise way more attention than that. With those things however, they can now blame it on technology not working right. Way to go! Don't get me wrong, I do see plenty of applications for this, but in hospitals they need to focus on other more important stuff than this.

[Shane @ Nov 6th 2007 9:20AM]

It's been done...Hospitals have already started to experiment with things like robots that count equipment and RFID tagged equipment.

http://www.columbiasurgery.org/news/si/2005_penelope.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSL/is_3_85/ai_n19295631

[derX @ Nov 6th 2007 9:33AM]

See, this is a perfect example of the dichotomy that is technology. Of course, as mentioned, there are practical applications of RFID chips but, especially with its being "competitively priced", these things can easily get into the wrong hands and we really would have to worry about hi-tech stalkers and such.

Besides, walking around with a patch like that, everyone will think I'm a smoker.

[Blackster @ Nov 6th 2007 9:57AM]

do you normally wear patches on youre forehead or always short sleeves?

[derX @ Nov 6th 2007 10:00AM]

Of course, aren't you supposed to?

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 6th 2007 12:00PM]

STOP TRYING TO TAG ME!

This is another example of an attempt to make RFID seem "normal" and "acceptable" as a means of keeping tabs on a human being. No, you may not put your Radio Frequency Identification on my body. Not in it, not on it, not near it. I do not want this technology, and anybody who is sucker enough to lap this up as if it's a "cool technological advance" needs to talk to a Jew or Soviet who bears an ID tattoo from Auschwitz in the early 1940s.

First they start with tags that are removable, then they start making them permanent. Of course, with RFID they expect that we'll all be wowed by the technology and "security" or "health" applications, and readily welcome them.

Keep these things away from me. As it is I'm not really very happy that they're sticking them in passports and the soon-to-be-mandatory National I.D. card... But at least those are things I can leave on a dresser instead of being stuck with them on my body.

Paranoid? Sure. But I'll gladly don the occasional tinfoil hat if it maintains my liberty and freedom as a sovereign human being. You'd all do well to refuse this technology now, before it's just slapped in your body without your approval.

[DrunkMonkey @ Nov 6th 2007 12:22PM]

RFID IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST!!!

END TIMES!!!

[/crazy]

[Green Piss @ Nov 6th 2007 12:31PM]

this is bullshit

because it wont replace human error

[compgeek86 @ Nov 6th 2007 1:03PM]

wouldn't it be easier to just put RFID in hospital bracelets, it's already part of the routine of checking into a hospital.