NFC Forum, the global standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, 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 group will promote the safe and 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.
“We are seeing rapid adoption of NFC technologies across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. As use cases proliferate within these sectors, global standardization is vital to deliver patient safety and enhance user experiences,” comments Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC Forum. “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. It also ensures security and alignment with national and international regulations.”
The 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.
“The Healthcare Working Group will utilize the expertise of the Forum and its members to standardise and strengthen the role of NFC technology within the sector,” comments Stefan Genser, Chair of the NFC Forum Healthcare Working Group. “This also includes fostering collaboration across the NFC and healthcare ecosystems to optimise industry knowledge and drive practical solutions that deliver better outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers. We call on all interested parties to get involved and join the discussion.”
Led by its Board members, including representatives from Apple, Google, Huawei, Identiv, Infineon, NuCurrent, NXP Semiconductors, Sony, and ST Microelectronics, NFC Forum empowers organisations to deliver seamless, secure contactless interactions to users around the globe in numerous industries, including healthcare.
