In a medical emergency, healthcare workers need fast access to a patient’s current medical information, such as allergies, medications, and health history, whether you’re traveling in a foreign land or just going down the block getting a cup of coffee. It would also be nice to be able to notify family members if you have a medical emergency.
MyMDBand is a subscription-based system designed to address the need for easily accessible medical information combined with automated real-time alerts to designated family members or caregivers when a medical emergency occurs. The system includes a silicon band bracelet with a stainless steel buckle that is laser-engraved with a unique Quick Response (QR) code. When you register your band and enter relevant medical data you can also list people you want automatically emailed anytime the QR code is scanned. Emergency personnel are trained to look for personal information in when you need medical attention, and they can scan the QR code with their smartphone cameras and any QR reader app. With Internet access, the care provider can access your data after entering a serial number and PIN code found on the inside of the buckle. MyMDBand is designed for international use with support for English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian with more languages promised. You enter info in your own language and medical personnel can read it in their language if supported (and if they have location detection turned on in their smartphone), otherwise it defaults to English. Additional promised functions include comprehensive pharmaceutical information (some drugs have different names in different countries) and future interfaces with major medical information systems.
If family members, friends, or colleagues travel often or if you are concerned about people with medical conditions, MyMDBand’s convenient medical data access and alert service may be a compelling combination. As more language support and drug and medical data interfaces are built in its potential value should only increase.
