Computerworld's Marc L. Songini reports that the American Medical Association (AMA) has issued a report giving "mixed reviews on the use of implanted radio frequency identification (RFID) based technology to keep track of medical patients."

"The report concluded that while implanting the technology into humans could improve patient care, it also has yet to be proven safe or secure," Songini writes.

"These devices may present physical risks to the patient," the report stated. "Though they are removable, their small size allows them to migrate under the skin, making them potentially difficult to extract."

Still, it wasn't all negative -- the report also stated that "RFID tags may promote the timely identification of patients and expedite access to their medical information, [and] can improve the continuity and coordination of care with resulting reduction in adverse drug events and other medical errors."

More here from Australian IT ... and more here from RINF.