VeriChip Launches Health Link System Revolutionizing The Future Of Emergency Medicine

Residents of the Greater Palm Beach area can now take better control of their personalized healthcare by enrolling in Health Link, a revolutionary bio-medical technology that is currently being introduced by the VeriChip Corporation of Delray Beach, in cooperation with 16 regional hospitals, including Bethesda Healthcare System, Good Samaritan Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, Jupiter Medical Center and St. Mary's Medical Center.

Health Link connects a person to his or her personal health record, allowing emergency room physicians and nurses to have immediate access to those records during an emergency. This enables the attending medical team to treat the patient more rapidly, accurately and safely. Aside from facilitating immediate access to the patient's vital medical data, emergency contact information is also provided, offering greater peace of mind for the Health Link member, his or her family and caregivers.

Health Link requires implanting program participants with a tiny microchip (similar in size to a grain of rice) just under the skin in the rear upper portion of the right arm. The Health Link microchip contains a 16-digit identification number that, when scanned by a Health Link reader, provides a secure link to a private, online database that reveals the patient's personal health records and emergency contact information. No other information is contained on the microchip. Once the Health Link microchip is implanted, it cannot be lost or stolen.

Innovative Marketing Agreement Created with HearUSA

Through a unique marketing agreement, VeriChip Corporation, creator of Health Link and a provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, is teaming with HearUSA, Inc. and its HEARx centers to offer easy access for area residents wishing to enroll in Health Link.

People interested in joining (or becoming a member of) Health Link can easily enroll at one of eight conveniently located HEARx centers in the Greater Palm Beach area.

Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of VeriChip, said, "Our agreement with HearUSA allows us to offer consumers a number of convenient area locations in a professional setting where they can learn about Health Link and enroll as a program participant."

"As a South Florida company," Silverman continued, "We're particularly pleased that Greater Palm Beach area residents will be among the first in the nation able to take advantage of the Health Link product and service. To make sure that we reach as many consumers and healthcare providers as possible, we're about to begin our first ever direct-to-consumer marketing campaign. We want people to know that a simple, yet critical tool has become available to add to their arsenal of wellness products and services."

Consumer Marketing Begins with Print and Broadcast Advertising

The launch of the Health Link direct to consumer marketing campaign is set to begin on April 28, with both regional print and broadcast commercials. As part of this campaign, VeriChip has created a new website at http://www.healthlinkinfo.com that will go live at the campaign launch. The site will provide complete information about the product and service as well as how to enroll as a Health Link member.

Participating Greater Palm Beach area hospitals already include:

• Bethesda Healthcare System
• Boca Raton Community Hospital
• Columbia Hospital
• Delray Medical Center
• Glades General Hospital
• Good Samaritan Medical Center
• JFK Medical Center
• Jupiter Medical Center
• Lawnwood Regional Medical Center
• Martin Memorial Hospital (North & South)
• Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center
• Palms West Hospital
• Saint Lucie Medical Center
• St. Mary's Medical Center
• Wellington Medical Center
• West Boca Medical Center

Additional regional hospitals are expected to be added to this list and can be identified by visiting the http://www.healthlinkinfo.com website. Participating HEARx retail stores are located in: Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart and West Palm Beach.

About HearUSA
HearUSA, Inc. provides hearing care to patients primarily through more than 190 company-owned hearing care centers, which offer a complete range of quality hearing aids with an emphasis on the latest digital technology. HearUSA Centers are located in California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and the province of Ontario, Canada. The company also derives revenues from its HearUSA Hearing Care Network, comprised of 1,900 affiliated audiologists in 49 states, as well as its website that enables online purchases of hearing related products, such as batteries, hearing aid accessories and assistive listening devices. For further information, click on "investor information" at the HearUSA website: http://www.hearusa.com.

About VeriChip
VeriChip Corporation, headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, develops, markets and sells RFID systems used to identify, locate and protect people and assets. VeriChip's goal is to become the leading provider of RFID systems for people in the healthcare industry. The Company recently began marketing its Health Link Patient Identification System, a passive RFID system for rapidly and accurately identifying people who arrive in an emergency room and are unable to communicate. This system uses the first human-implantable passive RFID microchip, the implantable Health Link, cleared for medical use in October 2004 by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

For more information on VeriChip, please call 1-800-970-2447, or email info@verichipcorp.com. Additional information can be found online at http://www.healthlinkinfo.com.

SOURCE: VeriChip Corporation