Set Up Emergency Medical Information

My oldest daughter Kelly is a pediatric trauma nurse. She talks about how people coming into the emergency room, whether a patient or a parent, often have a hard time remembering or finding emergency medical or contact information. This information can be of critical help to emergency personnel.

There are also many times when emergency personnel may have no way of knowing who the patient is or how to contact next of kin.

Your smartphone can become a great source for your emergency medical and contact information.

iPhone Medical ID

Apple added an app called Health in version iOS 8. One of the options within that app is to create a Medical ID. This section of the Health app allows you to add medical information and emergency contact information that can be accessed even when you lock your phone.

Follow these steps to set up this information:

• Start the Health app.
• Access the Medical ID section.
• Complete as much of the information as you would like available.

Setting up your phone with this information is just that easy.

Follow these steps to access the Medical ID information:

• On a locked iPhone swipe to the right.
• On the bottom left of the screen touch the word Emergency.
• On the bottom left of the next screen will be the words Medical ID.
• When you touch Medical ID, a screen with the information you completed in the Health app will be available for viewing.

Android Emergency Information

A quick online search produced several options available for providing similar emergency information on an Android phone.

You just never know when you might be in an accident and need someone to have access to your emergency contact and medical information. This is a simple step everyone can take to help protect themselves and their loved ones.

Please feel free to share this information with your clients.

What other options have you found to make available emergency information? Let us know in the comment section below.