Maintaining Up To Date Medical Records
and Emergency Information
Do you know what information you need in a medical
emergency?
Being prepared can make a life saving difference in an
emergency situation.
Who needs to keep their information available and updated?
Actually, all of us should but very few do. However for
those at risk, such as seniors, people with chronic illness,
serious allergies or medication complications, special needs
children and anyone traveling away from home it is something
that should not be overlooked. Children should also have the
proper medical information on them at all times if they have a
medical condition or serious allergy.
"In a medical emergency, you might be unconscious or unable
to speak for yourself," said Alfred Sacchetti, MD, of the
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "That's why
it's so important to make sure that medical personnel have
access to your medical history, as well as relevant contact
information. For example, knowing what medications you are
taking could prevent severe drug interactions, and knowing what
allergies you have could prevent serious reactions."
Millions of Americans have medical conditions which should be
immediately known to Emergency Personnel.
Diabetes (over 13 million), diagnosed heart disease (23
million), alzheimers, transplant surgery, patient's currently on
blood thinners such as Coumadin, epilepsy, asthma, severe
allergies, cancer patients and medication allergies such as
penicillin and other antibiotics are all conditions that should
be brought to the attention of emergency personnel.
Additionally, many of us are reasonably health but getting older
(36 million people age 65 and over) and our list of medications
continue to grow with the years. With over 110 million emergency
room visits a year, your emergency information may actually be
the most important information of your life.
What information should be maintained?
Here are just some of the things recommended by Edward
Stettner, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory
University Atlanta, GA and other healthcare professionals.
Medical history - Chronic medical conditions
Medications - Including over-the-counter
Allergies - Medications and foods
Surgical history - Include the date, hospital and surgeon
Private physician - Include primary care as well as specialists
Emergency contacts - Multiple contacts with alternate numbers
Miscellaneous - Include advance directives, specific dietary
needs, or any other important information.
How can you keep your information available and up to date?
Today you have many options that allow you to have your
emergency information available. Which one you choose should be
based on your personal needs and risk factors. The "Vial of
Life" program is a free program designed for seniors and
individuals with serious medical conditions. It provides medical
information to emergency personnel who respond to and treat home
emergencies. The "Vial of Life" contains much of the medical
information needed by emergency personnel, such as existing
medical conditions, allergies, medication currently being taken,
and emergency contact information. Medical history and emergency
information forms are also available on-line from the Mayo
Clinic and the American Medical Association. The American
Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency
Physicians have also created an Emergency Information Form (EIF)
for parents of children with special health care needs.
There are also a number of monitoring services available that
will maintain your information for you and provide in home alert
devices that will dispatch emergency services if the need
arises. These are all good solutions for the home but do not
provide coverage when you are away from the house.
As a minimum, anyone with an existing medical condition or that
has special emergency needs should wear some type of medical ID
to alert medics to their situation.
So how do you carry all that information around with you?
Digital technology allows a very large amount of information
to be stored on surprisingly small devices. MedicTag LLC has
adapted this technology to produce an emergency information
device that fits on a keyring. The device is simple to use and
works with your desktop or laptop computer. You can fill out the
information form and make changes whenever necessary, always
keeping your emergency information up to date. Emergency
responders on site with a laptop or at the emergency room can
have instant access to your vital information, even if you are
unconscious, allowing them to diagnose and properly treat you
with as little delay as possible.
Do you need to have your emergency information available?
For most of us the answer is probably yes. If not you, how
about a child, parent or other loved one in your family?
Considering the possible life saving benefits, it is something
that we should seriously consider, for safety and security that
affects the whole family.
Edward Ricci is the founder and COO of
MedicTag LLC.
Additional resources and references:
Vial of Life
MedicTag LLC
American
Academy of Pediatrics
The Mayo Clinic
US Dept. of
Health and Human Services
American College of
Emergency Physicians
The
American Medical Association
About the author:
Mr. Ricci is the founder of MedicTag LLC. He originally invented
the MedicTag emergency medical information device for his
elderly mother. Mr. Ricci has 20 years experience in the
aerospace industry and quality control.
