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boynicholas -> RE: ICE: In Case of Emergency (8/4/2005 2:47:01 PM)
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You want to do even better to make sure that you get the care you need?
In my experience as an ER cod, once in a blue moon, its imperative that we get in touch with someone to give a history for the proverbial unconscious patient. However, every freakin day I work I see half a dozen people who have no idea their own medical history, their meds, or allergies.
In fact, if I hear one more person say to me “I can't remember the name of it, but its a little blue pill I take for my pressure” I may lose my shit.
How about instead of all the techno-stuff, you just go to the medicine cabinet, write down your medication names (including OTC and 'supplements'), the doses, how you take them, as well as the name of any drug you have an allergy to, the names of any illnesses you have (they told me something was wrong with my heart... it doesn't beat right...), your doctor's name, her phone number, the names of any surgeries you've had, or any pertinent lab tests (your most recent hemoglobin if you are anemic, your most recent creatnine if you have kidney failure, an EKG if you have heart problems, etc.)
Type all this into a file. Email it to yourself ('cuz we got computers in the ER, and if it means finding out what that blue pill is, I'll let you log in to check your Gmail.) Then put a printed copy in your wallet/purse (which we rifle through if you are out of it.) If you wanna get fancy, put it in your palm pilot (and I have had a few ubergeeks that beamed me their medical history, you get way extra cool points for that.) And if something changes, UPDATE the file.
That is 1000x better than an ICE number... of course, if you want to do both, more power to you.
Nick
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