Smart Cards: Nurses at the Forefront of Radical Advances in Health Care

Abstract

Smart card technology is about to emerge as a major solution to many of the problems currently faced in health care. At a minimum, smart cards will help with efficiency, patient safety, accuracy of documentation, medication ordering and dispensing, and overall quality of care. In this article, the authors describe the technology, its capabilities, and potential uses. They urge nurses to prepare themselves to be at the forefront of the radical changes that will occur with smart card technology.