When my husband and I were in a motor vehicle accident last summer, the doctor in the Emergency Room (ER) needed to review his medical history in order to be sure that the care he would be providing would not interfere with other care my husband was already getting. Since my husband has an extensive medical history, there were two choices. We tell the doctor my husband’s history and risk forgetting a detail that may be important or the ER staff could access the information in his Medic Alert account which is available on the internet. Since his account is up to date, the quickest and most accurate choice was the Medic Alert account.
Not all Medic Alert bracelets (or necklaces) are created equal. The alert jewelry you can obtain in the drug store or other retail outlet will be able to notify medical providers that you are allergic to a particular medication or may be a diabetic but there are a limited number of messages available for sale at these stores. These are useful if there is only one allergy or the issue about which you are concerned is available.
It is also possible to purchase a bracelet or necklace with the emblem from a good jeweler and have information etched on the back. This is a perfectly good way to customize information that you want emergency workers to know if you are unable to communicate.
The Medic Alert account that my husband uses is significantly more detailed and includes his medical history, surgical history, medication list and contact information for his primary care doctor. This cost a small fee to sign up and a yearly fee of $15 to $20. While this may seem like a great deal of money it can save your life and will allow for individualized care tailored to your specific circumstances.
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