VeriChip Reports Year End Hospital and Physician Enrollments

Applied Digital, through its VeriChip Corp. subsidiary, announced that as of December 31, 2006 VeriChip now has a total of 1,209 physicians and 392 medical facilities enrolled in the VeriMed Patient Identification Network. During the six-month period from July to December 2006, the number of participating physicians increased from 275 to 1,209, representing a 340 percent gain. During the same time period, VeriChip recorded a 256 percent increase in the number of medical facilities that have enrolled in the VeriMed Network. This figure is up from 110 facilities in July and includes a gain of 94 hospitals as a result of VeriChip's work with the National Stroke Association. These totals exceed previously stated year-end goals of 200 hospitals and 1000 physicians.

"2006 was an extremely successful year for VeriChip as we witnessed a substantial surge in enrollment in the VeriMed Patient Identification System by hospitals and physicians around the country. Based on the growth over the past six months, it is clear that our marketing efforts at numerous leading medical conferences, coupled with support from several influential organizations, including Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the National Stroke Association, have helped to showcase of the value of the VeriMed system in critical care situations," stated Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of VeriChip Corp. "During 2007, we will continue to work with leading hospitals and influential physicians throughout the country and around the world to integrate the use of VeriMed as standard protocol in the emergency treatment process."

The VeriMed Patient Identification System, which consists of a handheld radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner, an implantable RFID microchip and a secure patient database, is used to help rapidly identify and provide access to important health information on participating patients who arrive at an emergency department unconscious, delirious or unable to communicate. This implantable RFID system is the only system of its type cleared for use for patient identification and health information purposes by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

By Applied Digital