We've talked about wearing some kind of medical ID the last couple of weeks. In looking through the information and different providers, I wondered why an ID couldn't be issued by the docs, hospitals, organizations as part of our "You've been diagnosed with Diabetes" Rather than having to pay $15 - XX for an id, you could get started with a basic bracelet or necklace and information on why it is so important to have this with you. Then if after you got used to the idea, you could purchase however classy one you want to get. I know we have two diabetic support groups in our small area, and it would make a great fundraiser or pr event to hand them out. And usually the more you purchase the bigger discount you might get. Am I crazy, or could this work? Other ideas? I'd love to see this be a project for some organizations to take on, so much so I'm going to suggest it to my CDE and see if he can get it started at one of our hospitals.
The cynic in me says that if it were supplied through the medical delivery system, it would cost six times as much as now and would would be one more straw adding to the upward price pressure on services, insurance, and just about everything else.
Understand what you are saying...totally. BUT, if they were given away by docs wo diagnosed you, or with the first meter you got.....usually those are freebies, they get you in the shorts with the strips.....it could work, couldn't it?
From a collection of never-filled-out-but-given-to-me-by-the-hospital-I-was-diagnosed-at ID cards (this one cribbed from the net... I remember the one I got as being red but very similar wording). The back describes my most-hated hypo remedy, two tablespoonfulls of sugar mixed into orange juice. Gack, I hated that when I was a kid, the thourhg of it makes me cringe today a good chunk of a century later.
Tim, what is on the back side? Where do you put the meds that you are on? Diabetic and others? Phone contact number, family, doc, etc? That is why I think it needs to be a folding card about this same size. Yep, I've gotten hundreds of them, too. But if only one gets filled out and put in your wallet or purse or back pocket, and it saves your life or someone else' it would be worth it,
Your idea has some good points... Seems to me though that by handing out an emergency medical ID to every single person with "diabetes" we are kind of watering down the significance of an emergency medical ID. I chose not to wear one myself. I wore one when I was first learning how to dose insulin as I feared there was a real risk of a significant hypo at that time. Now that I have it figured out pretty well, I think that risk is, for me, very remote, so I do not feel wearing one is justified--- for many other people however, that risk is very real... and they should be wearing the ID. I would feel like I was bastardizing the whole concept of a medical ID at this point by wearing one because I would feel that I was devaluing the concept-- there have been a lot of discussions about IDs lately, this probably wasn't the most relevant one to post my thoughts on but it happened to be at the top of the forum
I like the idea, but knowing myself... When I was diagnosed there were no classy medical ID's around, so I got a really ugly one, bulky and uncomfortable. My mom tried to make me wear it but I hated it so much. So I think that if they gave me a basic one to get used to when I was diagnosed, I would get used to disliking it. I'd say give newly diagnosed patients a leaflet with info about the importance of wearing an ID and info about the different types of ID's and maybe where to purchase them, so that they can see what fits their styles and personalities.
As I mentioned before, I really disliked my medical ID, but have just recently found some great shops on etsy.com where they sell pre-engraved medical ID's to which you can fasten interchangeable bracelets. There's a lot of stuff on there, I wish someone had told me before ;)_
I was dx'ed in 1984 but got an ID I think in 2011, when I started running longer distances, generally alone although sometimes I go with a group. Doing the training for a marathon, pretty much all summer, once you hit the 14 mile "long run", you're going where you haven't run before as you run a couple extra miles each week so it seemed reasonable and I like the one I got. I might be less interested in a "freebie" that I didn't like as much? I agree that if it were provided free, it would likely be included in some sort of cost. I know that the "first meter" is tossed in "free" but I think those are basically donated by strip companies like advertising, "here's a meter, thanks for $4000 every year *forever*!"
I will say I don't mind mine at all and like having it, just in case. Like Sam, I sort of figure I know what I'm doing but I like doing new things too and, if something went awry, I like knowing that people who might try to help me might have some help.
I can see all your points. yea the plastic ones are ugly, but then I've had emt personel tell me that the newer fancy, pretty ones are sometimes in an emergency, IE car accident, or basic accident where the person can't talk for themselves, risky because response people think it's jewelry and don't really take the time to turn the thing around to see if it's a medic alert item. I wore those chain with an id thing on them, too, but after five years and five moves, the info was all wrong....even Medic alert didn't have it right even though I'd call in changes to them whenever we would move, I think the idea behind the ID is when you can't talk for yourself, a long run where a driver hits you and you're unconscious, a place where you are alone and can't speak for yourself and no one knows you. Accidents, surprises of nature, lows, highs, etc happen all the time, we know our bodies, we know what to do, but at those times will someone else know? For new people, they need that back up even more...it's not a huge sign hanging on your neck or your wrist to point you out, it's more like a life line when I can't save myself, which isn't often thank goodness. Another aspect is that I feel wearing my bracelet opens the conversation to dispel the wrong info about diabetes, who knows it better than we do, and who to explain correct information to people better than those that live it. I guess I am thinking that if you gave the bracelets even the old fashion ones like we got that just read "diabetes" people could better start to get used to the idea of being diagnosed, and see that it isn't something that has you,, you have it,