Using QR Codes To Save Lives 171
itwbennett writes "Paramedics in Marin County, California, may soon be putting QR codes to lifesaving use. According to an IDG News Service report, 'Lifesquare, a Silicon Valley start-up, has partnered with two emergency response agencies in Marin County to run a year-long pilot program. Lifesquare wants residents to input personal information about their medications into its website, then place corresponding QR code stickers where emergency responders can scan them with an iPhone.' The first hurdle: Getting people to put the sensitive information online. 'The way that we look at is that people already put their information into their driver's license, that's owned by the government, people put their information into credit card company's and that's owned by private corporations,' said Ryan Chamberlain, director of public outreach at Lifesquare."
Re:How about printing the information on the stick (Score:4, Informative)
instead of printing a QR code there?
You get better info density with QR. A QR can hold up to 4K.
This has already be solved by MedicAlert bracelets (Score:5, Informative)
Write your medical condition on bracelet. I guess you can fit more info on a website but still.
Do they not have them everywhere?
http://www.medicalert.org/shop/shopHome.htm [medicalert.org]
Re:How about printing the information on the stick (Score:4, Informative)
I have a friend who works in construction and can't wear jewelry, so he has a 6" tatoo of his medic alert info (potentially deadly medicine allergy). I don't know about the US, but here in Canada every medic alert bracet I have ever seen has said on it what it's for, so first aiders can know what to do/not do.
Also, per comments about people not helping out of fear of being sued... In Canada every province has "Good Samaritan Laws" which protect you from being sued for helping someone in a lifethreatening situation, except Quebec where it is illegal to NOT help if you can do so without endangering yourself or someone else (and also you can't get sued). Also we're lucky here in that our courts are sane.