Look in your glove box. Anything in there that you’d actually need in an emergency? How about your wallet? Credit cards, obviously. Hopefully a health insurance card. But what about a card that gives first responders immediate information about any medical conditions you may have, allergies, and your emergency contacts?
Your Advance Health Care directive is sitting at home in a fire safe box tucked away in your closet. Will that actually help you in an emergency? It can, if you use an online service to securely store your Directive.
The DocuBank Service
DocuBank, based in Narberth Pennsylvania, makes emergency information available via an emergency access card and alert stickers that clients carry in their wallet. DocuBank makes client information available 24/7/365 via fax or online from anywhere in the world. Hospitals simply use the information on the client’s card to log on or call to obtain the patient emergency information and directives immediately.
DocuBank President Randi Siegel stated, “Without a service like DocuBank, more than 75% of the time, this information is simply not available at the hospital, even when the documents exist.
Along with healthcare directives, living wills, healthcare powers of attorney, HIPAA releases, and organ donation, DocuBank also makes medical allergies and medical conditions immediately available to the hospitals by displaying this critical information, along with the name and phone number of a primary emergency contact, right on the DocuBank wallet card.
Putting Your Emergency Contacts in the Loop
DocuBank will automatically notify your emergency contacts anytime your card is used to obtain your documents. If they haven’t been notified already, this will give them an immediate alert in an emergency situation.
Other Services
Minor’s Matter Card – a card to give grandparents, babysitters, or nannies. In addition to the vital emergency information that this wallet card will provide your caregivers, the card will also provide access to the releases and other documentation they might need. The right documents, like a Parental Medical Consent Form can ensure that the caregivers you designate are able to care for your child in a medical emergency. And quick access to this information means that those people you trust to make decisions regarding your child in your absence, are able to do so.
I.C.E Card – a card designed for college students. Most parents are not aware that the hospital staff’s interpretation of a law called HIPAA can prevent you from receiving information about your adult children’s medical condition. With a HIPAA release the hospital is authorized to contact you. The ICE card gives the hospital staff easy access to your child’s HIPAA release.
Special Needs Access Program (S.N.A.P.) – Special needs adults have unique challenges. This program gives the primary caregiver a card as well as the member. In addition to the basic services of DocuBank, you can store any legal guardianship or conservatorship papers for emergency access.