The inefficiency of paper medical records is notorious. Even when available paper records only give details of healthcare in that Institution and often not all episodes of that either. The technology now exists for the whole of the patient's medical history including every consultation, every investigation and eventually a genetic profile, to be included on a personal 'smartcard' which the individual could carry with them. The health benefits are enormous. Even if the patient arrived unconscious in the casualty department the doctor could have access to a total health profile including current medication and drug sensitivities.
Experiments are currently under way in Germany and elsewhere.
In the United Kingdom a system is being developed based on a unique NHS number to computerise all health information by the year 2000. Information can then be transmitted at the flick of a switch throughout the 'NHS family'. The dangers are equally immense. First of all the system will require a unique identifier creating a personal identity card which has only previously existed in this country in war time. Secondly the information can be linked to other information such as tax and benefit details, criminal records and driving licence information.