The Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan (BNHI) has successfully deployed Java CardTM technology and Sun network solutions. The BNHI has started to roll out 22 million Java Card technology-powered IC (Integrated Circuit) health cards to Taiwan citizens in July, replacing its original paper-based system. This new smart card will help BNHI save time money.

The IC health card rollout marks a major milestone in the technology advancement of health services in Taiwan. There are multiple stages in this project such as ongoing infrastructure upgrades, public education and acceptance of the new card system.

TECO Electric & Machinery Co. Ltd. (TECO), a smart card systems integrator in Taiwan, implemented the US $115 million IC health card project mainly to reduce medical costs and to encourage usage of the card by facilitating both card and reader production.

Java Card technology is certified by the BNHI and meets their stringent security requirements and is thereby considered as an approved solution for secure digital identity. In order to meet its business critical need to support 5,000 simultaneous users on a highly reliable and secure system, TECO also selected the Sun EnterpriseTM 10000, 4500, 3500 and 450 servers, and the SolarisTM Operating Environment (Solaris OE).

Java Card technology enables multiple applications to co-exist securely on a single smart card. The IC health card will deliver secure, value-added services to card users in any place and at any time. Java Card technology is an open and proven technology currently deployed worldwide in industries such as financial services, government and telecommunications, well-known for its security, interoperability, multiple application capability and adherence to open standards.

Sun's network solutions provide optimal reliability, scalability, flexibility and performance at a low total cost of ownership (TCO). Sun's Enterprise 10000 server is an important part of the corporate data-center world, where high-end servers anchor mission-critical IT operations.

The IC health card contains a microprocessor with 32 kilobytes of memory. Important data recorded on the card can only be accessed when the security key codes of both the doctor's and patient's cards are mutually authenticated to avoid privacy violation.

This project is considered to be one of the largest Java Card technology-powered smart card deployments worldwide. The rollout is expected to finish by May 2003, 25 months since the project began.

BNHI was officially established in 1995, and it is chartered to bring better life quality relevant to health issue to all citizens of Taiwan by launching adequate programs. [...read more...]

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