Depend on the Health App

The Apple Health app functions as a collection point for information related to many aspects of your health from exercise to food intake, to sleep, etc. As an extra-added benefit, the Medical ID form stores pre-defined key information that medical personnel need to know to treat you safely. Think of it as a more comprehensive replacement for the medical alert bracelet or pendant that many people wear. 

Here are the fields:

Setting Up Your Personal Medical ID

Start by launching the Health app. Next, tap the Medical ID icon at the bottom right of the display. Now, tap the Edit link at the upper right. If you’ve already established your personal contact record in the Contacts app, your name and – possibly a photo – will populate the first two fields. Next, enter your birthdate, if it doesn’t appear. Then, complete each section as necessary. 

– In the Medical Notes section, enter any notes or alerts regarding your overall medical status. This is also a good place to list any operations or procedures you've undergone. 

– In the Allergies & Reactions section, be sure to cover all of your allergies and accompanying reactions including those associated with medications, foods, bee stings, etc. 

– In the Medications section, don’t forget to include the frequency and dosage of your medications and include a list of any supplements that you take.

– Scrolling further down the screen, tap the link to add an emergency contact. The app displays your iPhone contacts so you can select your spouse, a parent, a child, your doctor, and anyone else you wish to be contacted in the event of an emergency. I've my wife, kids, and doctor to my list.

– Finally, complete the remaining sections for blood type, organ donor, weight, and height.

Now scroll up to the top of the form. Did you remember to slide the toggle “Show When Locked” to the On position?

Putting it to the Test

Okay, now imagine you have an accident or other emergency and a medical professional needs­ to access your medical information, but your iPhone is locked with a passcode. Let’s walk through the experience that a person would have trying to help you when you’re incapacitated. 

First lock your iPhone by pressing the on/off button. Now, tap the home button to turn on the iPhone's display and swipe your finger to the right to display the lock screen. Tap the Emergency link centered at the top of the screen. When the keypad appears, tap the *Medical ID link in the lower left corner. This link is only available if you enabled the option to “Show When Locked.” Your Medical ID and its associated information will now display. 

You may be tempted to ask, “what if the person that finds my phone doesn’t know about the Health App and the Medical ID form.” The good news is that many doctors and nurses – especially those in emergency rooms – are becoming familiar with the different ways that a smartphone can provide access to relevant information. Indeed, even many “ancient” flip phones incorporate the ICE format in their address book.

ICE If You Don’t Lock

Here’s a trick for those of you who don’t lock your phone and/or prefer to depend on older standards. The idea was originally conceived in the mid-2000s as a resource for first responders. British paramedic Bob Brotchie began to promote it heavily following the London Tube bombings that occurred on May 7, 2005. To create your personal ICE (in Case of Emergency) form, add a new contact to your address book and put “ICE” in the last name field. Add the phone numbers of people you’d want to be contacted and then fill the Notes field with important health and medical information.

Consider the “Golden Hour”

The late R. Adams Cowley, MD, first described this 60-minute interval based on his personal experience and observations in Post-World War II Europe and then at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore in the mid-1960s. He believed that the chances of surviving a traumatic incident often hinge on the definitive treatment one receives in the first hour of care. While this may only be one physician's conjecture, one never knows. Quick access to your Medical ID and/or ICE contact could literally save your life. So, be sure to keep this information handy and up-to-date.