Would you look at a patient's cell phone for ICE information?

[tniuqs]

I hear you girl...but not to worry, certainly within the next decade BC will have cell phones and you'll understand them better. It can't be long after that that you'll get cable TV, and then, well, the world is your oyster... :-)

Dwayne

Bhwaahaaa Haaa ! Love it ! oysters she already has lots !

Well I guess I am of a different perspective, on one Industrial Standby job I advocated this ICE and its in my smart phone and unprotected, not for so much for emergency contacts but to put medications, OTC and herbal, allergies, blood type (if they knew it) PMHX and if they are "parts" donors and signed card as that would be very helpful in an emergency. One JW put "no blood products" in his and he was all happy about that .. I digress.

Contacting family is not my prime directive either that the LEO's job.

In our hood on Industrial sites the safety types and SOP "suggested" we hand out a form on a piece of paper asking for information "voluntary" concerning health care and contacts "all private" in a locked file cabinet in the clinic .. yea ok that's a great idea. Well I was complying and after the first 1200 workers no one had any medical problem .... weird EH ? So I implemented this ICE and a far better answer to the employers idea, besides having someone to go and look in a file cabinet when the man is down is a waste of freaken time when its locked btw this IS common practice in industry in AB and BC and NWT.

When you live in a world where the medical professionals can't be trusted with a patients smart phone OR Medical Providers are afraid to look, what kind of a world are we living in ? Sure there could be private info but unless your a pro hacker you can't access banking or the like, and what's all secret private about twitter or face-book ? Not that I subscribe to that stuff.

Really like what's the difference really, going through someone's wallet, and Ruffems your assuming that all patients are male) as purse can be very personal (or a weapon ouch an oops ) or a backpack.

Looking for ICE on a phone, quite seriously can anyone differentiate the 2 ? implied consent is implied consent the need for information with someone that cannot speak for themselves is essential.

I guess I look at it this way ... if it were ME or my Kids ... have at it.

cheers

[speedygodzilla]

I like the idea of the ICE applications or contact with medical info on the phones. I have never looked for them on patients before but I can't rule it out as they may possibly become a popular thing. I prefer paper copies of stuff like the vial of life because when I get to the ER a quick trip to the copier and I can make two copies, 1 for me and the 2nd for the ER, with the original back to the patient.

I could see the ICE applications being more useful on conscious patients that could pull out their phone and hand it over or read it off with the info like medication list that they don't have memorized. With many of us going to electronic charting or already there I would love to see a universal app or something that could sync with blue tooth or wifi to our electronic charting pulling all the info into the report. Far fetch but possible.

[vetlemakt]

There are apps available for iphone and android that will provide the necessary information without unlocking the phone first. One such is Appventive's "ICE: In case of emergency" (android @ $4). On a locked screen it will say "click here for contact information", which, when triggered, will show 3 names/numbers and other helpful info (illnesses, meds etc.). If this was a free app I'd install it myself, and if I suffered from anything that could place me in such situations, I'd definately get it. It's not uncommon for people NOT to carry wallets nowadays, in my experience this is especially true with younger people. You really don't need anything but a smart phone and some cash these days, and I anticipate this "trend" will grow as more and more people discover how useful these smart phones are (writing this on one now, and a few of you are probably reading this on one too (by the way: EMT City forums render perfectly on smart phones - though sadly, chat is not yet supported)). I think this discussion is very much needed today, even more so next year. Personally, I would rummage through any thing I find to ascertain the patient's ID, and I wouldn't risk anything doing so. But, then again, I live in Norway where we seldomn need to deal with law suits and bullsh... ox excrements.

As for not being able to dig out ICE info from someone's phone, I just won't buy that. If the key lock doesn't call for a code you will be able to find what you are looking for within 30 secs, guaranteed.

[fakingpatience]

I actually have looked through a patients wallet for information about them before. In this case a middle age guy was found wondering a building where he lived, with his wallet on him. The man was unable to answer any questions, but had nothing physically wrong that we could find with him. During transport to the ED, I looked through his wallet which the pd had given me to try and find any more information about him (some people keep a list of medications in their wallet). In this case, I had nothing else pertinent to do for patient care, so I didn't feel bad spending the time to try and find some more information about him.

[PCP]

I know myself or any of the partners I have worked with have never gone through a cell phone looking for "ICE" for the most part the hospital staff or the RCMP will contact the family incase of an emergency. When dealing with a pt. I feel looking for Incase of Emergency contact phone numbers is probably going to at the bottom of my list, just because if I am having to look for "ICE" that usually indicates that the pt. is unconscious, as if they are conscious they can call themselfs or ask us to call a family member.

Just my thoughts!!

[tniuqs]

I know myself or any of the partners I have worked with have never gone through a cell phone looking for "ICE" for the most part the hospital staff or the RCMP will contact the family incase of an emergency. When dealing with a pt. I feel looking for Incase of Emergency contact phone numbers is probably going to at the bottom of my list, just because if I am having to look for "ICE" that usually indicates that the pt. is unconscious, as if they are conscious they can call themselfs or ask us to call a family member.

Just my thoughts!!

WOW ... Nanaimo welcome !

ICE in Smart Phones is not just Contact Info, in many it has specific medical problems, allergies, or meds listed the braclets and necklace are not as popular as they once were.

HEY .. and that's not right because whenever I am in BC they directly for my wallet

BC = Bring Cash te he.

cheers and jk