The PROS and CONS ofImplantingInformation Chips in Humans - Essay Example

Due to reason, several eras has come in healthcare practice to improve the medical record system of patients to the highest logical point. As the debate rages on how medical record system can be improved, scientists have been swift in incorporating technology into the whole system. With something that started with the need to switch from paper records of patients to computer database software in keeping records of patients, we today have proposals on implanting chips in people to keep their medical records.

The device is known as the implantable medical ID. Stein (2004) explains that the device is “a microchip that can be implanted under the skin to give doctors instant access to a patient's records.” Already, the proposal to implement the implantable medical records has won government approval. For now, the best thing to do is to continue detain on the pros and cons of the device and technology to come to a logical conclusion on whether or not the system would be helpful in the discharge of medical duties.

Pros Already, there are health gurus who have approved of the use of the implantable medical ID and have started using them already. . Therefore if there is the need to switch hospital at any point in time or travel inter-state, the records of the user will be ready as and when they are needed. The second point has to do with the safety of the system. Clearly, papers get burn or soaked with water and computer software gets corrupted or crashed. Any of these situations temper with the safety of records.

With the implantable medical ID however, the records remain intact as long as the patient is alive. Yet again, the implantable medical ID is very reliable in emergency situations. Indeed medical emergencies come unannounced and therefore make the need to going to get a person’s records in times of medical emergencies very difficult. With the implantable medical ID however, a patient does not have to worry about emergencies because the device caters for that. It is always available and reliable.

These points are supported by Merrill (2009) who states that the implantable medical ID “was designed to provide his identification and immediate access to his medical history in the event of an emergency.” Cons The beautiful advantages discussed above notwithstanding, the implantable medical ID come with a number of cons or disadvantages. There are commentators who argue as to whether or not the implantation and its removal themselves do not pose health risks and threats. There are many critics who are of the view that even though it is easier implanting the chip, removing it can be very complicated.

John Halamka, MD, CIO at Harvard Medical School and CareGroup in Massachusetts, for instance laments that “it’s easy to insert but challenging to remove. I have no plan to have mine removed” (Merrill, 2009). The second demerit has to do with the cost involved in