Personal Information Using QR Codes

Suppose it is a bright sunny day and you decide to go on a scenic ride to the ocean. You come upon a motor vehicle accident and are the first responder. You call 911 and assess the situation. There is a mother and her two children in the car. The mother is not able to talk. The children appear to be about four and six. You hear the sirens and as you look up the paramedics are approaching the scene of the accident. What can you do?

Technical knowledge is an amazing benefit that many of us take for granted. We are fortunate to have an abundance of technology within arms reach. This technology is accessible through the Internet, social media sites, and smart phones. These are just a few of the many resources that have advanced our technology. Technology has improved our lives in the way we shop, learn, and accumulate information across-the-board. Globally we as a society have changed. This is particularly true in the health care setting. The pen and paper, previously the gold standard for documenting a
There are now applications available on smartphones that will store all crucial information such as allergies, medications, blood type, medical history and contact information. A specific example of one of these apps is the Life Square. Life Square uses QR code stickers and an iPhone application to provide pertinent information to emergency health care workers. QR codes are similar to bar codes in that they can be scanned with a mobile device, which, in turn, uploads the data quickly to the mobile device. The QR stickers are attached to an area that is easily located. “In an emergency, paramedics use an iPhone to read the QR code on an individual’s sticker. That process automatically populates health data into emergency systems, from which it can be forwarded to the emergency department of the nearest