« Kudos for great allergy-free cookies | Main | Bringing Food is a Good Idea »
February 19, 2008
MedicAlert vs. Medical Alert Wallets
While I was browsing the web for information on child food allergies, I came across a site that sells medical alert wallets. My daughter used to have a MedicAlert bracelet, so I was curious. Here is what I found:
Medical Alert Wallets is a good idea. The company “strives to provide the best products and service to our customers… Medical Alert Wallets provides top-notch quality wallets with a Medical symbol … each Medical Wallet comes with a Medical Information Card, for you to fill out.” It is a wallet with an information card that each individual fills out. While this would be useful in an emergency if somebody actually finds the wallet, do not get it confused with the services from MedicAlert.
MedicAlert builds “on nearly 50 years of experience in protecting and saving lives. MedicAlert's Emergency Response Center handles emergency calls providing instant access to identification and vital information. MedicAlert provides a 24-Hour Emergency Response Center, supported by on-site medical professionals. MedicAlert will relay your vital medical information to emergency personnel.” MedicAlert offers a variety of bracelets and necklaces engraved with a MedicAlert symbol along with their phone number and a patient identification number.
EMS responders recognize the MedicAlert symbol and can call the Response Center to obtain a patient history, i.e. anaphylaxis to nuts, prior allergic reactions, treatment that has worked or not in the past. MedicAlert offers jewelry which is easily spotted by EMS responders; whereas a wallet might not be seen until it is too late.
While both are pretty decent safety precautions, I urge you to do your homework and see what best fits your situation.
If you’re interested, MedicAlert also has a KidSmart program, which “provides comprehensive Kid Smart services that can safeguard and identify your child in an emergency. With a single phone call, emergency response personnel can access medical history and records, protecting your child against potentially adverse treatments or medication conflicts.
The Kid Smart program also ensures that designated family members will be notified should your child, in your absence, require emergency medical treatment. In addition, you have the reassurance that any time a lost child wearing a MedicAlert ID has been located or rescued, MedicAlert will contact you.”
I hope you never need these services, but it’s nice to know what’s available.
Posted by Ann Marie at February 19, 2008 2:11 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)