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What a SMART Health Card is
HL7’s SMART Health Cards and Links Implementation Guide describes a standard for receiving selected health information and sharing it in a tamper-evident, verifiable form. In its glossary, HL7 defines a SMART Health Card as “A verifiable credential containing signed healthcare data that can be stored and presented by users for various purposes like proving vaccination status or sharing health information.”
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“SMART” is part of the standard’s name. A card is a format and protocol for carrying signed health data—not a central medical-record database, identity document, or promise that a particular organization will accept it. Acceptance depends on the issuer, verifier, and the applicable policy or trust arrangements.
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- An issuer creates and signs the credential. An issuer may be a lab, pharmacy, healthcare provider, electronic health record system, public health department, or immunization information system.
- The holder keeps and presents it. The holder can store the credential digitally or print it. A QR code can carry the data for scanning.
- A verifier checks the signature. Verification lets the verifier assess whether the credential is authentic and has not been altered. The QR code is a way to present the credential; its appearance alone is not proof of authenticity.
The specific information depends on what the issuer includes. CommonHealth’s consumer explanation gives vaccination history and test results as examples; a verifier may see details such as the holder’s first and last name, date of birth, and vaccination or testing status. The holder chooses whether to share the credential.
#1 Best Overall
- 32 holders - 2 of each color
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- 16 bright colors
- Use for business cards, gift cards, credit cards, insurance information, student i.d., photos, drivers license, money, and more
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SMART Health Card versus SMART Health Link
A Card is suited to a portable credential containing selected data. A Link is intended for information that is too extensive for one card or may change over time. HL7’s guide describes Links as using cloud storage and supporting additional sharing controls.
| Feature | SMART Health Card | SMART Health Link |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | A specific, portable credential with selected health data | Larger or evolving information |
| How it is shared | The holder presents the credential, commonly in a QR code | The holder shares a link that provides access to information |
| Additional access controls | Not stated in HL7’s glossary entry for Cards | HL7 describes options such as limited-time access or PIN protection |
These are related but distinct ways to share health information: a Card carries a particular credential, while a Link can provide controlled access to more extensive or changing information.
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- Opens in center with a 1/2" opening
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- includes these 10 colors: Purple, Orange, Silver, Light Blue, Pink, Gold, Yellow, Red, Green, Metallic Blue
- Use for credit cards, insurance information, student i.d., photos, library card, drivers license, lunch money, and more
Privacy and identity limits
Presenting a card is the holder’s choice, and its contents depend on the credential issued. A valid signature establishes that the credential checks out cryptographically; it does not establish that the person showing the QR code is the person named in it. HL7’s September 2024 ballot guide FAQ says Cards are intended to be used alongside existing identity checks, such as a driver’s license in person or an online identity-verification service.
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Wallet-specific behavior is not universal. For example, CommonHealth says a card remains available in its app until the user deletes it or uninstalls the app; that describes the app’s flow, not every wallet or storage method.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Crafted of archival quality polypropylene plastic that won't lift ink from your documents.
- Crafted of archival quality polypropylene plastic that won't lift ink from your documents.
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- Overall size Open: 4" x 5". Overall size Folded: 2 1/2" x 4".
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Rank #4
- INSTANT ACCESS TO VITAL INFO: EMS or medical personnel can use their smart phone to view a detailed emergency medical profile.
- AVAILABLE WHENEVER YOU NEED IT: Instantly accessible at to the doctor, hospital or pharmacist – or when traveling.
- SAFE AND SECURE: Like a credit card, each SuperAlert ID card has a unique number and key code, required to access your online profile.
- EASY TO USE: Create your online medical profile in minutes. Update it whenever your info changes so it is always current.
- LIFETIME ACCESS TO YOUR PROFILE with a lifetime, limited replacement warranty on all SuperAlert ID cards, tags and stickers.
Rank #3
- Crafted of archival quality polypropylene plastic that won't lift ink from your documents.
- Crafted of archival quality polypropylene plastic that won't lift ink from your documents.
- Made of bright red plastic on the outside and clear plastic pockets on the inside.
- Overall size Open: 4" x 5". Overall size Folded: 2 1/2" x 4".
- Inside capacity per side: 2 1⁄8" x 3 3/4".
What to remember
- A SMART Health Card is a signed, verifiable health-data credential—not just an ordinary QR code.
- It can carry selected information such as vaccination records or test results, and may be stored digitally or printed.
- Signature verification checks the credential, not the presenter’s real-world identity.
- Acceptance is determined by the organization receiving it and the relevant trust or policy arrangements.
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