The MedicAlert Foundation is a
non-profit company founded in 1956 and headquartered in
Turlock, California. It maintains a database of members'
medical information that is made available to medical authorities in the event of a
medical emergency. Members supply critical medical data to the organization and receive a distinctive
metal bracelet or necklace tag which is worn at all times. It can be used by
first responder
A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency, such as an accident, disaster, medical emergency, structure fire, crime, or terr ...
s, such as
emergency medical personnel or law-enforcement agents, to access wearers'
medical history and special medical needs.
The name ''MedicAlert'' may be interpreted either as the two separate words "medic alert" or as a blended form of the phrase "medical alert".
Protocol and publicity
The MedicAlert IDs worn by members are designed to mimic regular jewelry (such as bracelets, necklaces, ID tags, etc.) with the addition of the distinctive MedicAlert engraved tag. The personalized jewelry bears the words "Medic Alert" and the
Staff of Asclepius
In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; grc, Ράβδος του Ασκληπιού, , sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god A ...
, the universal symbol of the medical profession, on the obverse side, and important medical information and a personalized MedicAlert ID number on the back of the tag. Medical personnel can call the MedicAlert 24-hour Emergency Hotline and provide the ID number on the back of the ID to get more detailed medical information on the member.
Members' conditions and allergies are reviewed by medically trained staff and prioritized in the order of importance that an emergency health professional would assess a patient. The prioritized conditions are then transferred onto a members emblem and wallet card, while more detailed information is contained at MedicAlert ready to pass on in an emergency situation.
While IDs may change depending on country and availability, the two main MedicAlert IDs are bracelets and necklaces, the former being the most popular. MedicAlert has teamed up with
Citizen Watch Co.
is an electronics company primarily known for its watches and is the core company of a Japanese global corporate group based in Nishitokyo, Tokyo, Japan. In addition to Citizen brand watches, it is the parent of American watch company Bulova, an ...
to provide a line of watches that include the Citizen Watch Co.
Eco-Drive watch with the customized engraving and logo of MedicAlert.
In the 1980s the IDs were publicized in conjunction with the insurance industry,
The Epilepsy Foundation
The Epilepsy Foundation, also Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA), is a non-profit national foundation, headquartered in Bowie, Maryland, dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy and seizure disorders. The foundation was established in 196 ...
, and The
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a United States-based nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes and to help those affected by it through funding research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes (including type 1 diabetes, ...
, amongst other foundations. Celebrities also participated in the campaign (including comedienne
Carol Burnett, whose bracelet is symbolically the one-millionth).
Common medical conditions
The medical conditions and prescriptions covered include, but are not limited to:
*
Adrenal insufficiency
Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones. The adrenal gland normally secretes glucocorticoids (primarily cortisol), mineralocorticoids (primarily aldosterone), and androge ...
*
Allergies (
food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...
,
latex,
insects,
seasonal,
environmental
A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
etc.)
*
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
*
Asthma
*
Autism
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
*
Diabetes
*
Epilepsy
*
Heart disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...
*
Hemophilia
Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, ...
*
Hypertension
Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...
*Drug-induced
long QT syndrome
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a condition affecting repolarization (relaxing) of the heart after a heartbeat, giving rise to an abnormally lengthy QT interval. It results in an increased risk of an irregular heartbeat which can result in fainting, d ...
*
Medications with serious interactions, e.g.
MAOIs and
Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine, sold under the brand name Lamictal among others, is a medication used to treat epilepsy and stabilize mood in bipolar disorder. For epilepsy, this includes focal seizures, tonic-clonic seizures, and seizures in Lennox-Gastaut synd ...
*
Parkinson's disease
*Devices/implants (
artificial heart valves,
pacemaker
An artificial cardiac pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the natural cardiac pacemaker) or pacemaker is a medical device that generates electrical impulses delivered by electrodes to the chambers of the heart eith ...
)
The MedicAlert Foundation of Australia permits organ donation directions to be engraved on their IDs.
Advance directives
An
advance directive covers specific directives as to the course of treatment that is to be taken by caregivers should the patient be unable to give informed consent due to incapacity. Currently in the United States, MedicAlert will hold on to signed advance directives which can be provided to first responders and medical personnel when they contact MedicAlert. A common advance directive is a
do not resuscitate order which states that member has requested that resuscitation should not be attempted if the member suffers cardiac or respiratory arrest.
International affiliates
MedicAlert has international affiliates in nine countries.
*
United States
*
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
*
Canada
*
Cyprus
*
Iceland
*
Malaysia
*
New Zealand
*
South Africa
*
United Kingdom
*
Zimbabwe
References
External links
U.S. MedicAlert FoundationMedicAlert Foundation AustraliaMedicAlert Foundation CanadaMedicAlert Foundation CyprusMedicAlert Foundation IcelandMedicAlert Foundation MalaysiaMedicAlert Foundation New ZealandMedicAlert Foundation South AfricaMedicAlert Foundation United KingdomMedicAlert Foundation Zimbabwe
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Medical equipment
First aid
Organizations established in 1956
Non-profit organizations based in California