ISO 20301:2014
(Main)Health informatics — Health cards — General characteristics
Health informatics — Health cards — General characteristics
ISO 20301:2014 describes general characteristics of machine-readable cards used in the field of healthcare. This International Standard is designed to confirm the identities of both the healthcare application provider and the healthcare cardholder in order that information can be exchanged by using cards issued for healthcare service. This International Standard focuses on the machine-readable cards of ID-1 type defined in ISO/IEC 7810 that are issued for healthcare services provided in a service area that crosses the national borders of two or more countries/areas. This International Standard applies directly or refers to existing ISO standards for the physical characteristics and recording techniques. Security issues follow the requirements of each healthcare card system. In addition, this International Standard regulates the visual information written on the card.
Informatique de santé — Cartes de santé — Caractéristiques générales
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 20301
Second edition
2014-01-15
Health informatics — Health cards —
General characteristics
Informatique de santé — Cartes de santé — Caractéristiques
générales
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
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ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Abbreviated terms . 3
5 Physical characteristics . 3
6 Visually readable data . 3
6.1 Purposes of visually readable data . 3
6.2 Items of visually readable data . 3
6.3 Field identifier of visually readable data . 5
7 Recording technique. 5
7.1 Recording technique for visually readable data . 5
7.2 Magnetic stripes . 5
7.3 Integrated circuits with contacts . 5
7.4 Contactless integrated circuits . 5
7.5 Optical memory . 5
7.6 Other recording technique . 6
8 Test method . 6
Annex A (informative) Examples of field identifiers written in Latin-1 code .7
Annex B (informative) Examples of healthcare card layout . 8
Bibliography .12
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 215, Health informatics.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 20301:2006), of which it constitutes a
minor revision.
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved
Introduction
The purpose of using machine-readable cards in the field of healthcare is to improve the quality of health
service and the efficient use of healthcare resources in the field. The primary consideration in creating
this International Standard has been to improve patient service and patient safety, as well as improve
the practical use of healthcare cards in clinical fields.
Standardizing the clinical practice of medicine and defining a standardized healthcare delivery service
structure are not included in this International Standard.
In years past, healthcare cards have been used to exchange healthcare data by placing necessary and
appropriate information on the surface of the cards in order to implement the health service of each
country. However, as people now move more frequently across borders, healthcare cards issued in
one country or area are increasingly being used in another, and with this consideration in mind, this
International Standard has been designed to apply to healthcare cards that will be used internationally.
It would be pertinent for ISO/TC 215 and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 17 to discuss the standardization of the
characteristics and operation of other cards, which are not covered by this International Standard.
This International Standard is designed to accept relevant technologies and recording techniques for
cards.
The data elements and data structures in healthcare cards are under consideration within ISO/TC 215.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 20301:2014(E)
Health informatics — Health cards — General
characteristics
1 Scope
This International Standard describes general characteristics of machine-readable cards used in the
field of healthcare.
This International Standard is designed to confirm the identities of both the healthcare application
provider and the healthcare cardholder in order that information can be exchanged by using cards
issued for healthcare service.
This International Standard focuses on the machine-readable cards of ID-1 type defined in ISO/IEC 7810
that are issued for healthcare services provided in a service area that crosses the national borders of
two or more countries/areas.
This International Standard applies directly or refers to existing ISO standards for the physical
characteristics and recording techniques. Security issues follow the requirements of each healthcare
card system.
In addition, this International Standard regulates the visual information written on the card.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 21549-1:2013, Health informatics — Patient healthcard data — Part 1: General structure
ISO 21549-2:2004, Health informatics — Patient healthcard data — Part 2: Common objects
ISO/IEC 7810, Identification cards — Physical characteristics
ISO/IEC 7811 (all parts), Identification cards — Recording technique
ISO/IEC 7812-1, Identification cards — Identification of issuers — Part 1: Numbering system
ISO/IEC 7816 (all parts), Identification cards — Integrated circuit cards
ISO/IEC 10373 (all parts), Identification cards — Test methods
ISO/IEC 10536 (all parts), Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit(s) cards — Close-coupled
cards
ISO/IEC 11693 (all parts), Identification cards — Optical memory cards
ISO/IEC 14443 (all parts), Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit cards — Proximity cards
ISO/IEC 15420 (all parts), Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture
techniques — EAN/UPC bar code symbology specification
ISO/IEC 15438 (all parts), Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques
— PDF417 bar code symbology specification
ISO/IEC 15693 (all parts), Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit cards — Vicinity cards
ISO/IEC 24789 (all parts), Identification cards — Card service life
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
application
provided for specific services in healthcare fields, which could be carried out by using a separate set of
information stored in the healthcare data card
EXAMPLE An application for making appointments for medical treatment, an application for providing
access to medical records, and an application for certifying health funding status are all examples of healthcare
applications.
3.2
card issuer
entity that records the information to activate the card, register, and distribute to the healthcare
cardholder
EXAMPLE A hospital could be an issuer of cards for handling appointments for medical treatment or for
accessing medical records. A health funding agency could be an issuer of cards for health funding.
3.3
field identifier
character strings, numeric characters, and/or icons placed near the visually readable data that help to
identify the data
3.4
front side of the card
back side of the card
front/back side of the card is defined in standards related to the applied recording techniques and card
technologies, e.g. ISO/IEC 7811 for cards with embossing and/or magnetic stripes, ISO/IEC 7816 for
integrated circuit cards, and ISO/IEC 11693 (all parts) for optical memory cards
3.5
healthcare application provider
entity that provides healthcare services to the healthcare cardholder and in the course of doing so,
makes use of the card and records the health care application information onto the cards
EXAMPLE A hospital could be a healthcare application provider by handling appointments for medical
treatment or by providing access control to medical records. A health funding agency could be a healthcare
application provider by issuing cards for health funding. A health funding agency could also be a healthcare
application provider by certifying the health funding status of the healthcare cardholder.
Note 1 to entry: If the card contains an application for medical appointments, a hospital could be an application
provider as it provides appointment services to the patients, while it could also be a user of the card if the card
contains an application for health funding services, as the hospital could get reimbursed from the health funding
agency.
3.6
healthcare data card
card conformant to ISO/IEC 7816 (all parts) intended for use within the healthcare domain
[SOURCE: ISO 21549-1:2013, definition 3.2]
3.7
healthcare cardholder
individual transporting a healthcare data card, which contains a record with the individual identified
as the major record person
[SOURCE: ISO 21549-2:2004, definition 3.8]
2 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved
3.8
item
single distinct part of the visually readable data
3.9
recording technique
technique to put visually readable data onto the card surface or to write data in non-volatile memories
3.10
service area
countries/
...
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