Citizen empowerment using healthcare and welfare cards.
Cards are used in health and welfare to establish the identity of the person presenting the card; to prove their entitlement to a welfare or healthcare service; to store data needed within the care process; and to store data to use in the administration process. There is a desire to empower citizens - to give them greater control over their lives, their health and wellbeing. How can a healthcare and welfare card support this aim? Does having a card empower the citizen? What can a citizen do more easily, reliably, securely or cost-effectively because they have a card? A number of possibilities include: Choice of service provider; Mobility across regional and national boundaries; Privacy; and Anonymity. But in all of these possibilities a card is just one component of a total system and process, and there may be other solutions--technological and manual. There are risks and problems from relying on a card; and issues of Inclusion for people who are unable use a card. The article concludes that: cards need to be viewed in the context of the whole solution; cards are not the only technological mechanism; cards are not the best mechanism in all circumstances; but cards are very convenient method in very many situations.
Cheshire
Paul
P
Atos Origin, London, UK. paul.cheshire@atosorigin.com
D016494:Computer Security; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000592:standards*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010355:Patient Identification Systems; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012946:Social Welfare; D006113:United Kingdom