Make a smart card (and associated readers) that allow the person to choose and approve exactly what information is given. This keeps control of the data in the hands of the individual instead of keeping it in some centralized database that you can't control.
Give each person a smart card that stores the person's health information. The data on the card would be protected (encrypted) and would require the person's approval to access it. The information could be catogorized to make it easy to get to related information. There could also be a setting to allow extra access to emergency personnel (the info that can be accessed is determined by the person). Ideally some of the user interface would be built into the card but it may have to be built into "approved" readers. Health businesses would buy readers that connect to their computers. Their computer sends a request to the card reader asking for specific pieces of information. You put your card into the reader and it tells you what was requested, asks for your approval, and ask for your password (or passwords) to allow access to that information. You could approval the transfer of all of that information or just parts of it. If any information was approved the reader would send it back to the computer and spit your card back out. Besides medical this could be used anytime someone else needs information about you.
Senarios:
Dentist: You go to the dentist and they ask for your name, address, and current medications and you approve name and address. They don't get anything else.
Doctor: You go to the doctor and they request your whole medical history and you approve it.
Store: You go to a store and decide to sign up for a contest. They ask for your name, address, and telephone but you approve only name and address.
Theme park: You go to a theme park that charges different fees based on age. They request just your age and that is all you approve.
Emergency: You are in a car accident and are unconscience. An EMS arrives, puts your card in a reader, and receives exactly the information that you already choosen that emergency personel should be able to see. (Ignore how emergency personnel are identified for now.)-- Stauffer, Mar 10 2004 blissmiss: That is not the same as a medical database because the data is stored with and controlled by the user. The kind of data stored would be the same but the important difference is the control of that data.-- Stauffer, Mar 10 2004 Not a good idea, having only one copy of your records.
Say you are rescued from a burning car but your card is still inside, and somewhat melted by the time the car is put out. You are unconscious and alergic to medication X. You go to hospital, doctors don't know. That wouldn't be good at all.-- RobertKidney, Mar 11 2004 Life threatening information may need to be also kept in another location (medical braclet, etc) but most of my medical information isn't life threatening.-- Stauffer, Mar 11 2004 If there is any point in storing the information, then your doctors need to be able to get it, especially in an emergency.
There could be many reasons why you might not have the card on you. I don't think the slight increase in privacy makes up for having to cary the card everywhere.
Also: If I die in really horrible circumstances, they could identify me from my dental records. Now they can't because the card is burried under the ruble of my house or whatever.-- RobertKidney, Mar 11 2004 random, halfbakery