Emergency registry
American Ambulance Association Introduces First National Emergency Health Registry
December 23, 2009
MCLEAN, Va. /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Ambulance Association (AAA), the voice for ambulance services nationwide, is creating a Web-based national emergency health registry through a partnership with Docvia. The innovative new Web service, invisibleBracelet.org (iB), will enable patients to register personal vital health details and in the event of an emergency, automatically notify friends and family through the largest network of EMS providers in the United States.
In the first quarter of 2010, individuals that live, work or frequently travel within the service areas supported by AAA-affiliated EMS providers will be able to register and maintain unlimited access to a secure online account that holds up to 10 "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) contacts and their vital health information. For $5 per year, a registered member can maintain an account accessible by licensed, trained and certified medics and dispatchers during medical emergencies. When emergency care is needed, authorized EMS responders are provided temporary, read-only access to a member's information using a HIPAA-compliant search engine. If ambulance transport is required, medics can automatically generate text or email messages to the member's designated ICE contacts, instantly notifying loved ones when and where the member is being transported by ambulance.
"We believe the Invisible Bracelet will revolutionize patient services and become the new standard of practice for the ambulance services industry," says Jim Finger, president of the AAA. "For millions of Americans, iB will, and should, become an essential. This voluntary method of information sharing between EMS providers and patients could be just the thing that saves more lives and relieves anxiety for family members." AAA-affiliated EMS providers will be the first to support the national rollout of the iB Web service. After the initial launch, which will be announced early next year, other EMS providers not currently affiliated with the AAA will have the opportunity to join the iB Medic Network.
"Our software and engineering by itself is impressive, but it's the human network of trained and experienced medics that makes this so powerful," says Noah Roberts, CEO at Docvia. "Everyone deserves a safe, simple and inexpensive way to communicate during a medical emergency. While so many groups continue to talk about establishing interoperability standards and improving health access, the American Ambulance Association is delivering results out on the frontline of health care."
About the American Ambulance Association
Founded in 1979, the American Ambulance Association promotes health care policies that ensure excellence in the ambulance services industry and provides research, education and communications programs to enable its members to effectively address the needs of the communities they serve. The AAA represents ambulance services across the United States that participate in serving more than 75% of the U.S. population with emergency and non-emergency care and medical transportation services. For more information about the AAA visit their Web site at www.the-aaa.org.
About Invisible Bracelet
The Invisible Bracelet answers two basic questions in an emergency: what do emergency responders need to know about you, your allergies and medical needs and how should loved ones be notified. Like a virtual medical ID bracelet, iB is a HIPAA-compliant Web service that allows its members to share vital health information during emergencies with participating Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers. In the event of an emergency, responding medics within our service area can access the information patients make available. If transport is required, text or email messages will be delivered to a member's In Case of Emergency (ICE) contacts. The service costs $5 per member, per year. For additional information visit www.invisiblebracelet.org.
SOURCE American Ambulance Association
In the first quarter of 2010, individuals that live, work or frequently travel within the service areas supported by AAA-affiliated EMS providers will be able to register and maintain unlimited access to a secure online account that holds up to 10 "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) contacts and their vital health information. For $5 per year, a registered member can maintain an account accessible by licensed, trained and certified medics and dispatchers during medical emergencies. When emergency care is needed, authorized EMS responders are provided temporary, read-only access to a member's information using a HIPAA-compliant search engine. If ambulance transport is required, medics can automatically generate text or email messages to the member's designated ICE contacts, instantly notifying loved ones when and where the member is being transported by ambulance.
"We believe the Invisible Bracelet will revolutionize patient services and become the new standard of practice for the ambulance services industry," says Jim Finger, president of the AAA. "For millions of Americans, iB will, and should, become an essential. This voluntary method of information sharing between EMS providers and patients could be just the thing that saves more lives and relieves anxiety for family members." AAA-affiliated EMS providers will be the first to support the national rollout of the iB Web service. After the initial launch, which will be announced early next year, other EMS providers not currently affiliated with the AAA will have the opportunity to join the iB Medic Network.
"Our software and engineering by itself is impressive, but it's the human network of trained and experienced medics that makes this so powerful," says Noah Roberts, CEO at Docvia. "Everyone deserves a safe, simple and inexpensive way to communicate during a medical emergency. While so many groups continue to talk about establishing interoperability standards and improving health access, the American Ambulance Association is delivering results out on the frontline of health care."
About the American Ambulance Association
Founded in 1979, the American Ambulance Association promotes health care policies that ensure excellence in the ambulance services industry and provides research, education and communications programs to enable its members to effectively address the needs of the communities they serve. The AAA represents ambulance services across the United States that participate in serving more than 75% of the U.S. population with emergency and non-emergency care and medical transportation services. For more information about the AAA visit their Web site at www.the-aaa.org.
About Invisible Bracelet
The Invisible Bracelet answers two basic questions in an emergency: what do emergency responders need to know about you, your allergies and medical needs and how should loved ones be notified. Like a virtual medical ID bracelet, iB is a HIPAA-compliant Web service that allows its members to share vital health information during emergencies with participating Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers. In the event of an emergency, responding medics within our service area can access the information patients make available. If transport is required, text or email messages will be delivered to a member's In Case of Emergency (ICE) contacts. The service costs $5 per member, per year. For additional information visit www.invisiblebracelet.org.
SOURCE American Ambulance Association