WHY SHOULD I WEAR A MEDICAL ID?

• Paramedics and emergency room personnel need information about your medical condition quickly and clearly when emergencies occur – and emergencies always occur without warning.

• In an accident or other incident that leaves you without the ability to speak for yourself with no one with you who can act as your advocate, the engraved medical ID bracelet, watch, or pendant you wear is accessible when first responders, paramedics, and emergency room personnel check your pulse or airway.

• Medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy, and a myriad of other conditions need to be brought to the attention of emergency medical providers. For example, some medications, such as blood thinners (think “Coumadin,” “Warfarin,” or even “aspirin”) or blood pressure medication, can cause reactions that need an immediate medical explanation so that diagnosis and treatment are not delayed, duplicated, or performed in error.

• Emergency medical personnel must know about potentially life-threatening allergies before administering medications. For example, use of latex gloves when treating a patient with latex allergies can cause a devastating reaction. The same is true for individuals who have an allergy to radiologic dyes or an allergy to antibiotics.