Voice ID expected to be a boon in emergencies
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A new device that allows a person to record medical information on a pager-sized recorder could be a great help to ambulance workers and emergency room staff when caring for victims unable to speak.

MyVoice ID can be clipped to a person's belt, pocketbook or backpack and in an emergency situation, emergency personnel can access the recorded information at the push of a button.

Greg Myers, director of the Adams County Ambulance Service, hasn't heard of MyVoice ID. But he likes the concept.

"Anything like that would be a great help for us, especially if they are unconscious or unable to talk," Myers said. "Any time we can get a patient's medical history is a great asset, so we can pass that along to doctors in the emergency room.

"There are times when a patient tries to communicate with us and are unable to, maybe if they've had a stroke and it affects their speech," Myers said.

MyVoice ID records a person's voice as they dictate vital information like name, address, emergency contact names and phone numbers, blood type, medical conditions, allergies, medications — even religious affiliations.

The recording is then saved and can be played in its entirety with the simple push of a button. There is a 60- to 80-word capacity, and a medical card for printed health background information and emergency contact data also is included.

"I think it would be very valuable," said Dr. Richard Saalborn, medical director of the emergency department at Blessing Hospital.

He mentioned an incident in the emergency room last week involving the victim of a traffic crash.

"Her purse was left at the scene or it wasn't recovered. We were calling the patient a Jane Doe and it was about two hours after she was in surgery before we could identify her," Saalborn said. "She had a head injury and wasn't able to tell us anything."

He likes the idea of MyVoice ID, but at the very least he says people should keep a list of their medications with them at all times. The list should include the dosage and frequency of each drug, and also any medical conditions or allergies the person has.

"Part of the problem in an emergency room is if there is an emergency, people don't bring their medicines or list of medicines with them," Saalborn said. "People always say, 'Dr. X is my doctor.' But many times the doctor doesn't remember the medications the patient is on. You just can't get that information."

Patients may assume emergency room staff can quickly access medical records.

"Those aren't immediately available to us. It is not instantaneous," Saalborn said.

That's where MyVoice ID would come in handy.

"Although there are several medical ID necklaces, bracelets and badges on the market, there are none that offer a voice that people can hear," says MyVoice ID inventor Donald Gibson. "MyVoice ID adds a new element to the personal identification industry that could make a big difference in emergency crisis situations."

Gibson and his company are working to educate paramedics and other emergency responders about the device so they will be able to understand and use it when they arrive on the scene where MyVoice ID is present.

In addition to being a potential lifesaver for a person who may be injured or unconscious, the recorder also can help the elderly, speech-impaired, autistic or mentally challenged communicate with their health-care providers.

The patented MyVoice ID from Support Systems Product Development Corp. sells for under $40 and is available in several health care retailers nationwide as well as online at www.myvoiceid.org or by calling (866) 667-5768.