SIST EN 1387:1998

SIST EN 1387:1998, Machine readable cards - Health care applications - Cards: General characteristics, is a Slovene standard from SIST for machine readable cards used in health care applications. It specifies the physical characteristics of the cards, the recording techniques, and the card surface areas reserved for each type of media, so manufacturers and issuers can design compatible health care cards. Security requirements are outside its scope.

What does SIST EN 1387:1998 specify?

SIST EN 1387:1998 covers cards used for health care, health care coverage, or health care entitlement. It focuses on the card as a physical and machine-readable object, not on the wider security framework around it.

The standard sets out requirements that are given directly or by reference, and it defines the area on each side of the card allocated to each type of media. In practice, that makes it a layout and encoding specification for card design, production, and checking.

The metadata places the standard in International Classification for Standards (ICS) 35.240.15, Identification cards and related devices.

What are the key requirements of SIST EN 1387:1998?

The main job of SIST EN 1387:1998 is to make health care cards machine readable in a consistent way. The points below are the parts that matter most when designing, issuing, or checking the cards.

• Card use - The standard applies to cards for health care, health care coverage, and health care entitlement. In practice, that tells you the standard is meant for administrative and access-related cards, not for general-purpose identification alone.

• Physical characteristics - SIST EN 1387:1998 specifies the card's physical characteristics. For a designer or buyer, this means the card must match the specified construction and form so that readers and encoding equipment can handle it reliably.

• Recording techniques - The standard specifies the recording techniques used on the card. That matters because the encoding method has to be chosen and controlled so the card can be read by the intended equipment.

• Area allocation on each side - SIST EN 1387:1998 defines the area on each side of the card that is allocated to each type of media. This is important for layout planning, because print, magnetic, or other machine-readable elements must stay within the assigned zones.

• Requirements given directly or by reference - Some requirements are stated in the standard itself and some are given by reference. In practice, users may need to check related documents to complete the card design or verification process.

• Security is separate - Security requirements are not part of this standard's scope. That means organizations still need separate rules for protection, access control, or anti-fraud measures.

What terms does SIST EN 1387:1998 define?

• Machine readable cards - Cards designed so machines can read data from them in a defined format.

• Health care applications - Uses of the card in health care administration, service access, or entitlement checking.

• Health care coverage - The use of a card to show that a person is covered for health care services.

• Health care entitlement - The use of a card to show a person's right to receive health care or related benefits.

• Recording techniques - The methods used to place readable information on the card.

• Media - The card element or information-carrying feature that is assigned its own area on the surface of the card.

Who uses SIST EN 1387:1998?

SIST EN 1387:1998 is used by organizations that design, manufacture, issue, or procure machine readable health care cards. It is also relevant to health care providers, insurers, and administrators that need cards to support coverage or entitlement checks.

Quality teams and acceptance inspectors can use it to confirm that card construction, encoding, and surface layout match the expected format. For buyers, it helps compare card offerings on technical fit rather than on security or policy features.

What changed in SIST EN 1387:1998 from the previous edition?

SIST EN 1387:1998 is identified as identical to EN 1387:1996.