ISO 20301:2006 is designed to confirm the identities of both the healthcare application provider and the healthcard holder in order that information may be exchanged by using cards issued for healthcare service.

ISO 20301:2006 focuses on the machine-readable cards of ID-1 type defined in ISO/IEC 7810 that are issued for healthcare services provided in a service area that crosses the national borders of two or more countries/areas.

ISO 20301:2006 applies to healthcare data cards where the issuer and the application provider are the same party.

ISO 20301:2006 applies directly or refers to existing ISO standards for the physical characteristics and recording techniques. Security issues should follow the requirements of each healthcare data card system.

In addition, this International Standard regulates the visual information written on the healthcare data card.