USB keys or thumb drives are really remarkable devices. They are small but hold a lot of information, they are reliable, almost universally compatible and cheap. So why not use them to store emergency medical information? Here are the issues that we have considered.
The first may be surprising: most intended users of the information in an emergency may not be willing or able to plug the device into their computer because of the threat of viruses or other malacious software. In a situation where time is of the essence, the time required to access the information may simply be unacceptable to the user.
Finally, emergency responders are primarily interested in highly distilled information which is of immediate relevance in treating a patient – they are simply not interested in reviewing a lengthy medical history.
Ever thought of how easily a USB drive can be lost or misplaced and if emergency access to a document is needed it would not be able to be password protected, however due to the fact that these drives are fairly small, anyone can pick them up and have access to your information that is not password protected. USB or flash RAM or whatever you use are not the technology that is suitable for this situation. Perhaps like pets – an implanted chip?