Some / most people have their personal data (name/ address/ bloodgroup) on a card in their PSK.
If an emergency occurs, will the police/ paramedics know that it's in that little tin and will they open it to see if their is personal info in the tin.
I don't think so, what do you think??

I think they would be more worried about getting you stabilized and transported to a hospital. Then worry about calling the family.

You'd likely have your wallet with a driver's license and other forms of ID anyways. Or your car registration in the glove box. Or they can run your license plates.

That's why it isn't so important to have your data in your PSK

what cedfire said, you wallet with you ID card or drivers license would be the thing to look for. Besides you have to carry one anyways.

Highly doubtful that the police or paramedics will look into your PSK, or even know what it is assuming a converted Altoids tin, etc. Never-the-less, I have personal contact info in my PSK. And in my wallet. Nothing sensitive like SSN. Only contact names and phone numbers, my home address, allergies - stuff like that.

No hospital in their right mind would give you blood based on a blood type you wrote down in your PSK. That info would be ignored. Now telling them NOT to give you something - specify things you are allergic to - THAT info should be heeded, provided were they able to find it in you PSK in the first place.

How or would they use the blood type if it was on a blood donor card (i.e. Red Cross)?

I can answer this authoritatively, since I don't run a blood bank and don't know the procedures. But I imagine a blood donor card might tell the Red Cross (or whomever), "Hey, good - it looks like we MIGHT have some Type O blood here". But I would considerer it totally irresponsible - and inconceivable - for them to go giving that blood to somebody else without typing it themselves. Not to mention testing if for hepatitus, HIV, etc. Same thinking goes for if you ended up in a hospital needing blood. I imagine they would type you before giving you anything, not matter what your card said you needed.

If things DON'T happen like this in real life, well, it's no blood for me! I'll take the Ringer's or NS, thank you. I certainly don't want any blood that went through the stringent quality control of "Oh well, we THOUGHT it was OK to give you this. Better luck in your next life. Sorry about that..."

I keep medical history on a small piece of paper covered with scotch tape in my wallet. It has come in handy in the past year. I have been to the doctor alot. When the doc wants to know what I am taking I can just whip it out.
Last year I had my colon removed as a result of ulcerative colitis that would not respond to medication. So, I kinda want that info to be available to and EMT etc.
I don't think I will put one in my PSK. I don't think anyone would think to look there. They would probably take one look at it and say "What the hell is this?"

and if you have serious allergies to meds, etc a medic-alert bracelt or necklace is a good idea

tro

Do you think that EMTs would acknowledge information contained on a set of dog tags? (Name, blood type, SSN)

Probably the name, but for the most part the other information is not useful in the field. As stated many a time, if you have allergies or a medical condition, wear an appropriate Medical Alert tag or Medical Alert jewelry item. With rare exceptions, wallets, cell phones and other forms of information are frequently gathered by law enforcement. EMS will look for Medical Alert info and possible ICE, but rarely is it useful to spend the time looking/searching for other forms of information. Law enforcement and hospitals will generally look at the more discrete or “hidden” forms of information. Various EMS jurisdictions may have different SOPs/SOGs on looking for such information, so hearing from a few others EMS providers may be useful.

Pete

Do you think EMT's would give blood in the field? No, so bloodtype isn't likely to be used.
The name they will probably use.
I want to be a paramedic and if I see a patient with a dog-tag, I would probably use it's name and address.

On this side of the pond the information on´the blood donor card is not considered to be reliable. Even when you have the blood fully typed there may be some sort of reaction. Hence the donated sample is cross checked with a sample of the recipient. The tests are fairly quick and cheap (compared with the costs of possible complications). So the card would not be used at all.

Pete, what about a bright red dog tag?

I used to carry copies of my tags laced into my boots, but I doubt they'd ever be noticed, so I stopped beating up the paracord I carry there.

"Do you think that EMTs would acknowledge information contained on a set of dog tags? (Name, blood type, SSN)"

Blood type is of negligible use, but name and SSN might be a goldmine for EMTs moonlighting in identity theft. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Back when I was a paramedic, if you were found unconscious or incoherant you'd get a quick search in the field of your ankles, wrists and neck for medic alert tags. No way would we go digging into you wallet. Too much risk of being accused of theft. That kind of search was left for in the hospital where at least two people from unrelated agencies would work together (as each others witness). I was accused of trying to steal some guy's tennis shoe at a car wreck scene once. The stupid family was actually irate that I had not held up my ambulance and searched the scene for the missing shoe "when I should have known he would want it back". I can't remember if the guy finally died or not ... but his injuries were very grave and he sure didn't care about his stupid shoe!

I personally wouldn’t write down my SSN on anything I don’t have to. Your SSN is needed for billing, but if you are unresponsive or unable to answer billing can get it from the hospital later.

The information I would like to have available, even if you are responsive, in a written form (preferable typed) are:

• Name (legal name)
• DOB
• Primary Care Physician
• Medical History (include surgical history LAST)
• Medications Currently Taking (including dose) only include OTC meds if you take them every day.
• Allergies (and reactions)

Make a few copies, carry one on you, put one on the front of your refrigerator (bright yellow paper) and keep an extra copy safe.

Actually, although we are so used to it that it hardly matters, SSNs were never intended to be used as tracking numbers. You can refuse to provide it for billing purposes. Your phone company doesn't need it and neither does you gas or electric company. They can look you up by many other methods in a database, this just makes it convenient for them.

If they refuse, ask them why they are demanding it. They can ask for it, but you don't have to give it (especially if you have alternatives for their services). http://www.privacy.ca.gov/sheets/cis4english.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_security_number

The fewer people who have it, the better. Even financial institutions aren't always secure: http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/06/news/fortune500/security_citigroup/

Most likely red dog tags would be examined closely, as some of the Medical Alert Tags I have seen are red. Keep in mind the information that is needed in the field if you are found unconscious should be geared to significant medical information. Here is a brief list of information (others may have better ideas) in an order that I would consider important and useful, of course there is a limit to the amount of info that can be placed on a tag:

Name
Date of Birth (DOB)
Medical Conditions (diabetes, COPD, asthma, etc.) that are of significance in an emergency or may have contributed to your current emergency
Drug allergies
Medications
Other allergies (food/tree/grass/etc.)

While am I a sure, others can think of other info and level of importance, I feel the above list would be adequate. With huge lists of meds or those that have changing lists of meds, rather then having those engraved, perhaps an attached list in a small plastic vial or sleeve.

Information like:
Contact info
Doctors
Address
Phone numbers
Etc.

Are not really critical to treatment in the field, such info can be carried in your wallet, purse, notebook, etc. and would be helpful to law enforcement and the hospital.

Pete

Odds are, I wouldn't get novacaine if I'm not communicating, but having found out the hard way how anaphelaxis feels, I'd like that to be known. Save everyone a lot of hassel.

True, but you could get lidocain in the field while in an unconscious state. Knowing you had an allergy to Novocain might direct/trigger a different treatment regime or a least a consult with Medical Control.

Pete

Scratch test says...
Novacaine, lidocaine, benzocaine, xylocaine, pontacain

Notice a trend? :P

They all start with a different letter? <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This is a question for the medical experts out there: Several years ago, I had a hole torn in my throat during a failed intubation. This was during what I thought would be a routine surgery. Actually the surgery went without a hitch, but the hole in my throat got infected and five days later I had emergency surgery and my wife, five months pregnant with our first child was told I was not expected to live.

I'm feeling much better now <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Point is, someone told me that it would be a good idea to get a Med Alert tag that says "History of Traumatic Intubation". I never have done so.

My question is, if I were unconscious and needed to be intubated, would an EMT have other options available than a tube down the throat? Or would it be a case of "save the life now, fix the hole in the throat later"? I think I'd rather be alive first and risk another infected hole in my throat than just to be dead because a needed procedure was avoided due to history.

What do you think?

Ors,

It might not be a bad idea, although if you need an airway most paramedics etc would try and secure your airway prior to checking a medical alert braclet. I have never seen a medical alert braclet with "history of tramatic intubation" or anything similar.

Yes, paramedics and EMTs who have intubation in their scope of practice typically have other options to secure an airway. Here, we call those options "rescue airways" and range from blind definitive (and a few non-definitive) airways to surgical airways. There are pluses and minues to both, and in my opnion neither are as good of an airway as a properly placed, proper sized oral intubation.

While they look brutal and barbaric to the untrained, a field surgical airway is an excelent rescue airway that when done properly merely leaves a same scar and only slightly increases recovery time... Which is much, much better than no airway!

In the Netherlands, a helicopter MMT- team(Mobile Medical Team) is on stand-by 24/7. It carries a doctor/surgeon and nurse that can preform surgery if they have to. So if the paramedics can't intubate you, they keep hyperventilating you (Ambu-bag) and call for a MMT, that can do a Tracheotomy (for example)