Not sure if anyone has mentioned or heard of this yet. its becoming a new trend in "medical alert" tokens to use the I.C.E. message on cell phones. I just come from a meeting today regading public safety, and the trend for all cell phone owners is this. You make a listing under contacts on you cell phone called ICE which stands for In Case of Emergency. First responders will be routinely checking for this information , at accidents, unresponsive patients, etc, Under the ICE listing you are to list a few phone numbers for emergency contacts. ICE link

For what it is worth, my opinion of I.C.E. is not all that great.

From an EMS/Rescue side of things, a contact person is not all that important. My treatment is not likely to vary enough from information gleaned from a contact person, for me to take the time to find the person’s cell phone and look up the information and then call.

There could be serious potential liability issues, if I as a provider cannot verify the person I am talking to on the phone is truly knowledgeable about the patient’s medical situation or is authorized to discuss the patient’s medical condition.

I can see the value for Law Enforcement and hospital ER/EDs but not for EMS/Rescue providers dealing with immediate treatment.

The value of a Medical Alert device is of much higher value, as it provides immediate information that is critical in determining appropriate treatment strategies.

Pete

My cell phone has a pretty confusing user interface (maybe I'll get a better one sometime). I'd hate for some ER to waste time twiddling through it instead of dealing with the immediate condition. I don't see the point of putting this info in a cell phone anyway, instead of (say) on the back of one's drivers license.

I have to agree with ParamedicPete. As a medic myself, Rarely do I go through somebodys cell. Only if I have a child that cannot answer me and nobody who knows is around. And in those cases, they hardley ever have a cell.

its funny i posted the info but agree.......who would ever have the time, except a hospital or friend or what ever...........and like some said, quite a few phones are so complex it woud take a while just to manuver through the menus. I guess its a last ditch back up backup?

-Interesting enough i questioned the info after i posted, made a few calls and found that some of the medical transport aircraft in the local region are acutally going to look for ICE.......again i hope its after they land and im already in the er!!

It occurs to me it might prove invaluable for medical personnel who are trying to contact the next of kin of a terminal patient in order to arrange permission to donate organs. If you are an organ donor, or want to be, it might be wise to record your contact info for that reason.

Regards, VInce

Plus, the most annoying thing is that everytime that person calls, it shows "ICE". My coworkers phone rang, and I answered it. I'm like "who the h*** is ice?". I was thinking he knew some big burly tough as nails person...

I would suspect a terminal ill patient would be under the direct care of a health care provider or family member. If you are talking about a patient whose injuries result in a fatality prior to arriving at the hospital, the body likely becomes the property of the Medical Examiners Office (MEO) until a cause of death is determined. An individual who dies at the hospital may or may not be subject to autopsy by the MEO. In any case the hospital and the family/attending physician would be the “agent” to contact the family regarding organ donation, not EMS/Rescue providers.

The lawyers on the forum can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe in most if not all 50 states, upon death (non suspicious death) your body becomes the property of the family. Your wishes as to your body’s final fate are really not up to you, despite directives in your will, organ donor card, driver’s license directive, etc.

Pete

Pete,
Your correct.........the most immediate family member present is responsible, unless your aware of a child, or spouse whom hasnt' been able to be reached yet.

I would rather that you had you medicines, allergies and past medical history listed in your phone or wallet than ICE. Your relatives are going to find you regardless and everything is going to be all right. I don't need ICE to treat you and quite frankly I'm done with making phonecalls after few incidents last month. But my opinion is only from prehospital point of view...

Now my billing department would be more than happy to have any leads on where to start as far as collecting for my services goes therefore they would love to have some contact info. So in conclusion all the advances are never about patient care but about billing and liability.