The DANGERS of Self-Monitoring Medical Alert Device
“Don’t self-monitor a medical alert device. Just DON’T do it.” Paul Joseph, the heart and soul behind Emergency Medical Services Pty Ltd, is emphatic on this point. His company supply the safeTwear medical alert device but more importantly also provide 24/7 monitoring for them.
“I’ve heard so many horror stories over the years from customers who come to us because self-monitoring went horribly, horribly wrong. Having a family member or friend responsible for the medical alerts is a terrible idea. It puts enormous pressure on them to be by their phone and available to take the call. Imagine the guilt you would carry if you missed a call from your loved one that resulted in injury or worse, death! I would never want to put that kind of pressure onto the people I love. As well as that, often the person wearing the medical alert device won’t push the button because they don’t want to be a nuisance.”
“Having a professional, independent, specialist response centre with experienced responders manage the emergencies is far better than relying on friends and family. Our response team are trained professionals who deal with medical emergencies every day. They are calm, fast acting, and know the right information to collect to ensure the ambulance has everything they need, including the customers exact location and full medical history on screen. Because in an emergency situation, every second and the small details count.”
Paul’s extensive experience in this medical alert and the home security industry has equipped him well to put together this service offering that is literally saving lives.
“We also save grey hairs! The stress of false alarms on family members is almost as bad as an actual emergency, especially if they miss the call for any reason. They might be showering, at the movies, deep asleep or in a work meeting, typically a person isn’t connected to their phone 24/7 despite the fact it feels like we are! Each month we deal with thousands of false alarms and every alarm is treated as an emergency until we can determine otherwise. The response team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”
“We actually call it the ‘Danger of Self-Monitoring’ because to us, it really is that serious. Friends and family will often panic in these situations and fail to collect the relevant information the ambulance will need. Just don’t do it, I can’t stress it enough.”
“We have some excellent deals for seniors which include the medical alert device and in certain cases a lifetime of monitoring. Call us today for more information 1300 699 159.”
In an emergency, every second counts.
Betty has a fall and her alarm activates. The emergency responder talks with Betty through the device to determine what has happened and the extent of her injuries. Betty requests an ambulance be called. The emergency responder calls 000 and swiftly arranges the ambulance, giving them all the information they know will be asked in relation to the event. The ambulance is dispatched.
After it is determined if Betty will be taken to hospital and where, the emergency contacts for Betty are notified.
Betty has received a speedy, competent response and the best care.
Would your family and/or friends be able to deliver the same?
Benefits of Monitoring
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no exceptions
Trained experts responding to an emergency
Trained experts handling false alarms
Trained experts organising an ambulance who have access to your medical information
Trained experts who remain calm and reassuring Dangers of Self-Monitoring
Family and friends are not always available (in shower, on toilet, on phone, work meeting, movies, sleeping etc)
Injured person might not want to worry/bother family so don’t push the button, or they downplay the extent of the injury.
Family and friends are not trained to ask the questions that the ambulance will require in the event of an emergency.
The emotional toll on family and friends is high, even when it’s a false alarm.
The possibility of family and friends panicking and making errors.
Call 1300 699 159 for a FREE demonstration of safeTwear… the smallest, smartest medical alert pendant (with fall detection). Ask about our Limited Seniors Special Offer!
One of the biggest risks with self-monitored devices is that there is no 000 guarantee. Many companies suggest that 000 be programmed into auto diallers, this information may be misleading according to, not for profit, South Australia’s Seniors Information Inc.
“Although it is possible to program 000 into an auto dialler (along with other numbers), it is important to be aware that 000 calls from automated devices, such as auto diallers, cannot be guaranteed a response from the emergency services.”
Another problem with medical alert alarms is the amount of false alarms they generate and the potential problem this poses for 000 with the increased ‘non-emergent’ call load.