We Can, But Should We?
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR361 Information Systems in Healthcare
Kathleen Fabian, Professor
Fall B 2010

Radio frequency identification, also known as RFID, is a breakthrough in technology and could just be the next big step in surveillance. Yet, how far is one willing to go to be sure that all of their past history is accurate? This sounds a little like George Orwell’s 1984; a chip inserted into one’s skin, embedded with data that can be transferred to a reading device and be read? Someone could be able to know every little thing about another person just by transferring data; sounds a little scary. RFID isn’t just for tracking patient’s data, according to Daniel Sieberg’s Is RFID tracking you?, “it …show more content…
The controversy surrounding RFID will not end anytime soon, yet a question needs to be answered; is the VeriChip the way of the future? Handwritten documents and medical records are easily lost and when asked, many do not know their past medical history, blood type, or allergies. The RFID is a powerful technology that at times may be safe, however could be hacked. Anyone can have someone’s personal and private information at their fingertips at any given moment. Those experienced in computers and hacking can easily make their way through encryptions and acquire confidential information. And, as the FDA has explained, the VeriChip can cause bodily harm, which includes; burns after exposure to radiation, sustained hypertension, possible stroke, cardiac problems, and more according to the FDA website. This chip is not the way of the future. There are more secure and non-invasive ways to track someone’s past history that doesn’t consist of implanting a chip into a human being.

References
Brownstein. (2007, March 18). Do Chip Implants Protect or violate Privacy? Retrieved November 18, 2010, from abcnews.go.com: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ActiveAging/story?id=3186229&page=1
FDA approves computer chip for humans. (2004, October 13). Retrieved November 18, 2010, from msnbc.com: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6237364/ns/health-health_care
Food and Drug