An alert database in Fishers, Ind., provides police officers, firefighters and EMTs personal information, like whether there’s an elderly citizen who’s homebound or a child with autism who is upset by the sound of sirens, in advance of reporting to an emergency.
“As much information as we can gather prior to arrival, the better prepared we are for what situations may occur,” says Fishers Fire Department Captain John Mehling.
Through the Special Needs Data System, citizens voluntarily can provide first responders with specific information about disabilities or a medical situation, such as blindness or mobility issues. Dispatchers send details to the computers in emergency vehicles while they’re en route.
Mehling says that all personal information is protected: Only the responding personnel have access. And the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ensures data privacy and security for safeguarding medical information.
So far, a few hundred citizens have enrolled in the registry.
Still, some have mixed feelings about the database since it labels residents with certain conditions.
One downside could arise when a family moves and doesn’t update the information in the system to alert responders about the change, which would cause officials to prepare for a scenario that no longer exists at a certain location, says Denise Saxman, program director for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter.
“I can truly see the benefit to the families who are very worried about their loved ones, and I can see the benefit to the first responders,” says Saxman. “At least they seem to be coming at this from a, ‘Let’s make the best use of our time in an emergency situation with people who may be at more risk.’”
The idea developed out of a roundtable discussion held earlier this year in which the participants sought ways to make their community more accessible and inclusive and was implemented in March. A resident can choose to remove the information from the system at any time.
Other communities, including Bloomington, Ind., and the state of Illinois, have also implemented a similar database.
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Tag: medical history
In Case of Emergency, This App Could Save Your Life
Forget filling out medical questionnaires and memorizing emergency contact information. A new app is enabling individuals to store all that information in one place to carry around in case of an emergency.
ICEBlueButton, developed by healthcare tech company Humetrix late last year, lets users create a medical record that is then stored in a QR code that can be saved onto a smartphone or printed onto a sticker and stuck to things like children’s bike helmets. According to Government Technology, emergency responders can then scan the code for instant access to information on a person in case of an emergency.
“No one is immune to having an emergency,” says Dr. Bettina Experton, president and CEO of Humetrix. “Kids playing sports or away from home at camp can have an accident and emergency personnel need to know if they have any medical conditions or life-threatening allergies.”
The record is referred to as an ICE — i.e. In Case of Emergency — and once it is accessed, the app can also send an email alert to the individual’s designated contact through the auto-alert feature.
While the app is not meant to store a complete medical history, it can notify paramedics of allergies or medications a person may be taking.
“Checking for a smartphone has really become part of the routine for the public health professional,” Experton says. “Years ago they would look for a wallet for ID when responding to an emergency. Now they know to look for a smartphone.”
If a patient is using an app like ICEBlueButton, instant access to their health records can enable medical professionals to provide better care. Experton adds that medical professionals have already begun advising people to download ICEBlueButton.
Experton also hopes that the app can expand to disaster preparedness for national agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, ICEBlueButton was featured at the White House’s Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day as one of the many digital tools that can help in case of emergency response.
ICEBlueButton costs $3 per month or $20 annually for the added auto-alert feature.
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