In an emergency, paramedics and other first responders want to know a few things right away. Foremost amongst these is the nature of your injuries, especially if they are not physically visible. It also helps to know if you are taking any medications, have allergies, are suffering from a serious medical condition that may affect your treatment, et cetera.

Sometimes you will be conscious and able to give the paramedics that information, or a loved one can do it for you. However, what happens if you are alone and unable to talk about this essential information? What if you or your loved one cannot remember absolutely all of the necessary points? These are serious concerns that require careful consideration.

What Is It?

A medical datafile helps in the case of such emergencies. It is a free online file containing all of the health information you decide to enter. It is an opportunity for you to relate, in detail, what medications you are taking, why you are taking them, if you have any severe allergies, your primary doctor’s information, and emergency contact information.

When you create your own medical datafile, or do so for a loved one, you will receive a unique code. We engrave this code on medical ID products purchased through EmergencyID. Thus, in an emergency, the first responder will note you are wearing a medical ID and enter your code into our website. This allows them to view your medical datafile and make the decisions appropriate for your care (note that anyone who possesses your unique code can also access this information).

Why Is It Important?

If you are able to verbally relate all of the relevant medical information, the paramedics will be able to fully help. However, there are many instances in which this may not be possible. For example, if you are unconscious, you cannot answer their questions. In addition to this, certain medical conditions may impair a person's memory and ability to talk about their medical history, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

A medical ID bracelet or necklace can easily inform a first responder about simple information (e.g. “peanut allergy”). However, many medical conditions and medications come with more information than anyone can easily engrave on a small medical ID product. As stated, a medical datafile is a free online file containing the health information you enter. This way, you can expand on the necessary facts and essential information that impact your medical treatment in an emergency.

We know that a medical ID bracelet has the power to save a life in an emergency and the unique code allows a first responder to access your medical datafile. While we all hope to remain in good health and never face a medical crisis, extra security like this can only help you stay safe and prevent medical personnel from making unintentional mistakes.

Emergency ID also offers a totally free Online Datafile, where you can store unlimited information about your health, insurance, emergency contacts - anything you want.