MedicAlert Foundation Responds To Senior Needs, Now Stores Dosages Advance Directives, More

TURLOCK, California (May 8, 2002) - MedicAlert Foundation, the world's leading emergency medical information and identification service, now provides new benefits that seniors will find especially valuable - an exclusive medication dosage service, a new emphasis on reuniting Alzheimer's patients with their loved ones and secure storage and 24-hour access to advance medical directives.

In response to increased requests from Members and physicians, MedicAlert now stores medication dosages for Advantage Members, allowing emergency nurses and physicians immediate access to vital information that is often required before treatment can begin.

This service also comes in handy when a Member visits a doctor's office or the pharmacy, and needs to have his or her medical formation ready. Seniors may also take advantage of the information storage service offered by MedicAlert which allows Members to securely store important facts, such as the brand, model and deactivation instructions for medical devices and implants. Since seniors use implant devices more than any other age group, this information is important to know before emergency treatment proceeds.

"The importance of having the patient's record securely stored is absolutely critical to the attending emergency staff," said MedicAlert ® President and CEO Tanya J. Glazebrook. "We want the health care community and our Members to know that, as the leader in providing vital patient information for emergency medical care, MedicAlert will make sure the medical information is delivered in a timely fashion to authorized personnel."

Serving as a true lifeline, MedicAlert ® builds partnerships with emergency professionals who search for the famous emblem in emergencies. MedicAlert has a long-standing relationship with law enforcement officials which helps police reunite wanderers with their loved ones. In addition, MedicAlert has proven valuable when protecting the elderly and developmentally disabled in the community. Law enforcement officials who are trained to look for body-worn identification when encountering someone who is elderly, or appears disoriented, developmentally disabled or is a wanderer, are relieved when they find a person wearing the MedicAlert® Emblem.

Another MedicAlert® Member benefit of interest to seniors, is central storage of written advance medical directives. Responding to the growing Member demand, MedicAlert launched its national repository for end-of-life medical care directives, which provides instant access to important medical information at any time, from anywhere. By providing one central location for a person's end-of-life preferences, Members can rest assured the documents are secure and can be transmitted when needed 24-hours a day.

An advance directive tells physicians and other medical providers a person's end-of-life care wishes in case that person is unable to speak for him or herself and is not able to make medical decisions. Advance Directive storage is $20 per year, plus the initial MedicAlert® Membership of $35.

MedicAlert is also the designated provider of repository services for out of hospital "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) orders in California and seven other states where such orders are currently recognized.

"It's a delicate issue, but for peace of mind, we should all be planning for our unknown future medical needs," said Glazebrook. "Since MedicAlert already stores emergency medical information for 2.4 million of Members in the United States , we are an ideal choice to provide this service."

MedicAlert is the original, nonprofit emergency medical information service, founded in 1956 by Dr. Marion and Chrissie Collins in Turlock , CA . The organization helps save lives by providing identification and information in emergencies. For more information on MedicAlert, call 800-825-3785 or visit their web site at www.medicalert.org .

MedicAlert Foundation, one of the largest nonprofit membership organizations in the world, serves 2.4 million Members nationwide and another 1.3 million globally. As the nation's leading emergency medical information service, MedicAlert Foundation's mission for over 45 years has been to protect and save lives. For more information, call 888-904-7630 or visit the MedicAlert website at http://www.medicalert.org/ .