Abstract: A tag identification card system is provided that implements a uniform standard for medical or surgical procedures. The system allows patients to elevate their own safety standards, by requiring surgery staff to follow the World Health Organization “Surgical Safety Checklist”. This invention consists of a synthetic tag identification card upon which is recorded vital patient information. The tag identification card is completed by the patient and physician at the time of consent for procedure. A non-toxic indelible marker is used and the data is covered with a clear coat. The tag identification card is then attached to the patient pre-procedure. This invention will help reduce the risks of wrong site surgery, wrong side surgery, wrong patient surgery, and improve patient safety. Further the system requires that operating room staff sign the tag identification card following each completed safety check.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transmitting documents using the Internet are disclosed. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a document (3200) which is to be transmitted to a recipient is fed into a local facsimile machine (3100). The document (3200) includes a cover sheet (3210) containing a destination facsimile number (5100) and number of sheets which contain the message to be transmitted to the destination. The sender then dials the local telephone number of a remote computer system (2000). The document (3200) is then transmitted to the remote computer (2000) via a modem (2400) over a local telephone line (7000). The remote computer (2000) then scans the cover sheet (3210) and extracts the destination facsimile number (5100). The document (3200) is then formatted for transmission via public switched data network, specifically Internet backbone network(s) (6000), and is routed from the remote computer system (2000) to a host network computer system (4000).