Thanks for the info.

Here's a dumb question: is a sulfa allergy something that needs to be known if I'm unconscious? I hadn't had a reaction to this antibiotic until I was in my late twenties (it was prescribed for a bad case of bronchitis) yet because of this reaction I was required to have "SULFA" printed on a medical ID bracelet I wore while working abroad.

Also -- what would be considered the best, most accessible place to store an emergency info card? In one's wallet/purse or....?

I don't see any reason that you need a SSN on an emergency info card. In fact I would highly recommend against it! Sure, most agencies that bill for ambulance transport and other medical care would like to have a patient's SSN for billing purposes, it is not absolutely necessary. Some companies are over the top aggressive with their employees about issues like this (mostly because the billing tyrants have never worked in the field). In our last EMS encounter form revision we removed the SSN box, since our department doesn't bill we don't ask for SSN anymore. As for patient records, I have never not had a hospital find a patient's records who had previously visited that facility using a DOB and name.

As for the information I like to see on a card is:

• Name
• DOB
• medications currently taking
• allergies
• medical history
• primary care physician
• emergency contact

As a paramedic I am rarely going to be calling a patient's emergency contact and never calling a patient's pcp... but part of the job is gathering information for the hospital. Often we are bringing a patient to a facility they have never been to before, so the more information we can gather in the field the better.

Having a laminated card in your wallet or purse is a good place when you are out and about, but at home having a second one (or a larger version) on the refrigerator or elsewhere obvious is great. I have been on a few patients that keep an envelope on the fridge or front door labeled "emergency info", "paramedics" or something similar... obvious things are make it quick and easy (especially at 0300).

I am a HUGE fan of patients that have extensive histories or long medication list who have a neatly printed or typed info sheet that we can keep and transfer to the hospital. Often it is a lot easier to read an info sheet then to try and decipher what medication the patient is trying to pronounce...

Sulfa is not just in antibiotics, I can think of a couple medications that are Sulfonamides in my drug-box and could forsee an instance where I administer to a patient who was unable to speak to me.

FDNY (which runs NYC EMS) told me "The BEST place is on the fridge, where it can be seen. We ALWAYS look in the fridge for things like Insulin (to see type etc) and for other meds, and if you have a big envelope labeled "Medical Information" there, we're real happy"

I know with Mom, we had it there, along with Medical Proxy, Living Will and her DNR

@ Alan: I totally agree on not listing SSN on gear or ID. Us military guys get into this pattern of behavior in service and its hard to break when we get out, but we must.

My dad, who hit mandatory retirement a few years back, still puts his SSN on wallets and bags and such. I try to break him of this but its so in grained.

Our local EMS service has started promoting the fridge door & handing out a bright red plastic bag with magnet to keep it in.