Key Takeaways
- NFC Forum has launched a Healthcare Special Interest Group to support secure, interoperable, and regulatory-aligned NFC use across medical devices, pharmaceutical packaging, and healthcare delivery systems.
- The group will focus on cybersecurity, standards development, and validating new healthcare use cases to help improve patient safety and enable reliable device-to-device interactions.
NFC Forum has launched a Healthcare Special Interest Group (SIG), underscoring the new and emerging use cases for secure, interoperable and regulatory-compliant NFC Forum technologies in the sector.
The non-profit industry association is comprised of leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. Its mission is to advance the use of near field communication (NFC) technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability, and educating the market.
The Healthcare SIG will promote the effective use of NFC technologies within the healthcare ecosystem to enable safer, better-quality care in applications such as medical devices, pharmaceutical packaging, and healthcare delivery systems.
Why the NFC Forum is Establishing the Healthcare SIG
Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC Forum, said the new SIG is being established due to the rapid adoption of NFC technologies across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries that ensures security and alignment with national and international regulations.
“As use cases proliferate within these sectors, global standardization is vital to deliver patient safety and enhance user experiences,” said McCamon in a statement. “Using existing NFC Forum Standards– as well as adapting and evolving our specifications to meet the needs of the healthcare sector– is key to enable the reliable, intentional and secure device-to-device connections that result in seamless and familiar user interactions.”
What Will the Healthcare SIG Be Focused On
Led by its board members, including representatives from Apple, Google, Huawei, Identiv, Infineon, NuCurrent, NXP Semiconductors, Sony, and ST Microelectronics, NFC Forum empowers organizations to deliver seamless, secure contactless interactions to users around the globe in numerous industries, including healthcare.
The working group will address critical aspects of NFC enablement in healthcare, such as cybersecurity and regulatory alignment; creating and validating new NFC use cases; and defining the technical basis for interoperability across the NFC Forum ecosystem.
Stefan Genser, who will chair the Healthcare SIG, said the group will utilize the expertise of the forum and its members to standardize and strengthen the role of NFC technology within the sector.
“This includes fostering collaboration across the NFC and healthcare ecosystems to optimize industry knowledge and drive practical solutions that deliver better outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.,” said Genser. “We call on all interested parties to get involved and join the discussion.”
To learn more about NFC in healthcare, register for the upcoming webinar set for June 16. Visit the NFC Forum website to learn more about the Healthcare Working Group or find out how your organization can get involved in its various Work Packages.