What Do You Ask?

[akflightmedic]

You are thinking so last century with the idea of a "card". I would suggest that you create a word document of all of these questions, and then load it to a thumb drive. It would be nice if the thumb-drive (or memory card) could have a red cross or other medical emblem on it, and would be stored in the person's pocket, purse, wallet, or on a chain around the rear view mirror in the car. You would just plug it into your laptop, or ER computer, and have everything you need.

Wal Greens has been selling these for years...may have seen them at Wal Mart as well but not 100% sure on that.

[Richard B the EMT]

1) I mention that I am registered with the Medic Alert Foundation, out of Turlock, CA, USA, with all that information registered with them. Access is using the code number on the "dogtag" around my neck. They have some fine looking jewelry as necklaces, watches, and bracelets, as well.

2) In the EMS professional magazines, they have "thumbdrives" available specifically for such information. However, I sometimes carry my thumbdrive, not set up as a medic alert device, on a neck cord. Also, not all EMS services have the field availability or capability to connect to a computer to read them.

3) The ICE (In Case of Emergency) listing in cell phones has good points, but I go with the bad ones, like, in a Mass Casualty Incident, is the phone you found the property of the person next to whom you find it? If you use the phone to access the ICE list, could you be activating a secondary IED? If you call the listing of "ICE T", are you going to be connected with the actor who portrays NYPD Detective Fin Tutuola on "Law and Order-Special Victims Unit"? (I've been printed in "JEMS" on this before, as well as having it in a string here on the city)

[Just Plain Ruff]

You are thinking so last century with the idea of a "card". I would suggest that you create a word document of all of these questions, and then load it to a thumb drive. It would be nice if the thumb-drive (or memory card) could have a red cross or other medical emblem on it, and would be stored in the person's pocket, purse, wallet, or on a chain around the rear view mirror in the car. You would just plug it into your laptop, or ER computer, and have everything you need.

Flaming, that's been done. you can go to any CVS and buy one near the pharmacy

I put together something like this 15 years ago but it was on a 3.5 inch floppy disk. Remember those?

All you had to do was put the disk in the computer, go to the disk and click Run.bat and all the patients info was there.

Never went commercial but my family and close friends and those patients who had many medical issues were given this and it was immensely helpful. There were about 35 people who got these.

At that time it was so insanely expensive to set up any type of national database that I didn't pursue it but I see that I probably had the idea long before those who are making a crap load of money had the idea.

Lost opportunities, oh well.

[Richard B the EMT]

I'm going to be a bit harsh, but it seems like someone is trying to reinvent and copyright the wheel.

[Just Plain Ruff]

You mean we can copyright the wheel? And to think, that 30K to get a patent on the wheel was money not well spent, was it?