Keith a. bauer of course, a monitoring aspect, but the primary aim of implanting a microchip in a pet is not to monitor and then transmit its physiologic data; rather, it is enhance our ability to find a lost pet. Although in the very early stages of development, programs to enhance human function by implanting microchips in humans have begun to emerge First, as with pets and GPS navigation systems found in many automobiles, ome groups are advocating that microchips be implanted in children and the elderly as a way to make it easier to track and to locate lost or abducted children. Second, companies, such as Applied Digital Solutions, have devel- oped an implantable microchip, called the Verichip, that holds personal data, such as medical information, and can be used to identify persons, making sure that only those who have legitimate access to computers and secure sites can gain access. o Third, in the not too distant future, a total integration of the human body and various information and communication technologies may be possible, for example, wireless, subdermal phone and e-mail transmitters that are linked directly to the human br Whether it be a prosthetic, monitoring, or enhancement application, what nakes microchip sensors useful is not simply their implantation into the human body; rather, it is that their implantation into the human body further integrates the human body into an external information and telecom- munications environment. In doing so, we alter our sense of self, gain greater control over our environments, and transform how we interact with each other. With that said, I don' t mean to suggest that other medical technologies such as pacemakers, which are routinely implanted into the human body, do not have an effect on one's sense of self. In fact, I would argue that any integration into the natural human body of what is artificial would have consequences for how persons think of themselves and live in the world (e.g, wearing a pair of glasses). The point is that the real power of implantable microchips to alter one's sense of self and relations to the world depends on connections with various external information and telecommunication technologies. As I discuss subsequently, these changes brought about by implantable microchips and biosensors will have significant implications for patient care Likely and Desirable Future Trend At the beginning of this paper, I identified two likely and desirable future trends in healthcare associated with implantable microchips and biosensors These trends are (1) improvement in the continuum of care and greater movement of healthcare delivery from institutional settings to noninstitutional settings and (2)a more proactive and less reactive healthcare system Improving Independent Living and Continuum of Care First, how will implantable microchips and biosensors likely improve the continuum of patient care? The general answer is that these technologies will better enable the integration of the patient's body with its immediate environ- ment and the larger community, in particular, the healthcare community Because implantable microchips and biosensors, like many other kinds of nformation and communication technologies, are interactive, they can helpof course, a monitoring aspect, but the primary aim of implanting a microchip in a pet is not to monitor and then transmit its physiologic data; rather, it is to enhance our ability to find a lost pet. Although in the very early stages of development, programs to enhance human function by implanting microchips in humans have begun to emerge. First, as with pets and GPS navigation systems found in many automobiles, some groups are advocating that microchips be implanted in children and the elderly as a way to make it easier to track and to locate lost or abducted children.9 Second, companies, such as Applied Digital Solutions, have devel￾oped an implantable microchip, called the Verichip, that holds personal data, such as medical information, and can be used to identify persons, making sure that only those who have legitimate access to computers and secure sites can gain access.10 Third, in the not too distant future, a total integration of the human body and various information and communication technologies may be possible, for example, wireless, subdermal phone and e-mail transmitters that are linked directly to the human brain. Whether it be a prosthetic, monitoring, or enhancement application, what makes microchips and biosensors useful is not simply their implantation into the human body; rather, it is that their implantation into the human body further integrates the human body into an external information and telecom￾munications environment. In doing so, we alter our sense of self, gain greater control over our environments, and transform how we interact with each other. With that said, I don’t mean to suggest that other medical technologies such as pacemakers, which are routinely implanted into the human body, do not have an effect on one’s sense of self. In fact, I would argue that any integration into the natural human body of what is artificial would have consequences for how persons think of themselves and live in the world (e.g., wearing a pair of glasses). The point is that the real power of implantable microchips to alter one’s sense of self and relations to the world depends on connections with various external information and telecommunication technologies. As I discuss subsequently, these changes brought about by implantable microchips and biosensors will have significant implications for patient care. Likely and Desirable Future Trends At the beginning of this paper, I identified two likely and desirable future trends in healthcare associated with implantable microchips and biosensors. These trends are (1) improvement in the continuum of care and greater movement of healthcare delivery from institutional settings to noninstitutional settings and (2) a more proactive and less reactive healthcare system. Improving Independent Living and Continuum of Care First, how will implantable microchips and biosensors likely improve the continuum of patient care? The general answer is that these technologies will better enable the integration of the patient’s body with its immediate environ￾ment and the larger community, in particular, the healthcare community. Because implantable microchips and biosensors, like many other kinds of information and communication technologies, are interactive, they can help


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