Would you like to learn how a few simple steps can set your smartphone up to help save your life?
20 years ago smartphones were still the stuff of science fiction, if you wanted to listen to music, take photographs and make a phone call whilst on the go back in 1997 you had to carry 3 separate (and often bulky) devices around with you. Now all you need is one slim device that will do all those things and much more, as the smartphone in your pocket can assist a first responder or paramedic in delivering the correct on scene treatment for you in an emergency?
Thanks to a feature called ‘Medical ID’ on iPhone and ‘Emergency Info’ on Android devices, first responders can access important information about a casualties medical history as well as their emergency contact numbers from the lock screen of the phone, but you have to set it up first, which only takes a few simple steps.
To avoid confusion I’m going to use the Apple iPhone Health app to show the benefits of this feature, if you own an Android device, the benefits are the same & there’s a link at the end of the post on how to set it up.
What does Medical ID tell you?
Medical ID will display the following information:
- Your name
- Age & date of birth
- Whether you are an organ donor
- Medical conditions
- Medical notes
- Allergies
- Current regular medication
- Blood type
- Weight
- Height
- Emergency contact details
To enter this information you need to access the ‘Health’ app and click on ‘Medical ID’ at the bottom of the screen, click on create medical ID and then enter as much information as you can, it’s also a good idea to put a recent photo in the profile so anyone helping knows it’s you for certain.
The information on medical conditions, medical notes and allergies can be of great help to anyone wanting to give you first aid or to paramedics attending if you are unable to communicate. This can ensure you get the correct treatment more quickly.
How do you access Medical ID information as a first responder?
If you are the first responder on the scene of an emergency then there are a couple of ways you can access the information; you can try to unlock the iPhone, you will be prompted for the passcode, but in the bottom left of the screen you will see the word ‘Emergency’. Press that and you will see the keypad where, if needed, you can call the local emergency number (999 in the UK only or 112 in the UK and all of Europe). Again on the bottom left, in red text, you’ll see ‘Medical ID’ tap there and all the information in the Health app will be displayed, you can also call the emergency contact numbers directly from there.
Alternatively, and a better option, you can press the power button quickly 5 times, this will bring up two option sliders, one will allow you to view the Medical ID and the other one will allow you to make an emergency call. The advantage of making an emergency call with this method is that after the call your phone will then automatically send a text message to your emergency contact number and, if they also have an iPhone, it will send your current location information and update that location to them every 15 minutes, whilst a network is available.
To learn how to enter emergency medical information and access it in an emergency then on an Android device click here.
Knowing how to access this information is only one step in providing correct treatment, you also need how to provide assistance to a sick or injured casualty, we offer a one day Emergency First Aid course which gives you the knowledge and confidence to deal with the most common first aid situations you may encounter. Alternatively we have a 3-4 hour CPR & defibrillator course which deals with the essentials of basic life support. If you would like to discuss these, or any of the other courses we offer then you can book directly on one of our upcoming events or contact us to discuss your requirements, we offer courses over evenings and weekends on request.
