Featuring phone features Feature One: Medical Records

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Did you know that the pesky, time-consuming distraction device that we always have on our person can play an important role in saving our life? I'm talking about a cell phone, and there's a huge chance yours is within three feet of you even as you read this. Cell phones can be as much of a hindrance as they can be a help, and while they offer a universe of information, advice, entertainment and distraction at the convenience of your fingertips, they do so regardless of whether you ought to be doing something else. But you probably already knew that. What you may not know is that your cell phone can be a valuable and life-saving asset in an emergency.
In the case of a car accident or another medical emergency, most smart phones have what is called ICE, which stands for In Case of Emergency, data features. This includes medical information and emergency contacts that can be accessed even if your phone is locked and you aren't in a position to unlock it. These features are valuable if you are in an accident, or are unable to communicate during an emergency, and can enable first responders to access vital information about you that can help save your life.

Android Smartphones
There are a couple of ways to set up ICE contact information on an Android phone. First, you can add your info to the emergency information feature: Open Settings. Tap User & Accounts, then Emergency Information. To enter medical information, tap Edit information (you may have to tap Info first, depending on the version). There’s a separate section where you can enter emergency contacts. To do this, tap Add Contact to add a person from your contacts list.
Once you have set this up, anyone can find your ICE information by swiping up on the lock screen and tapping Emergency, then Emergency information. Another option is to add your ICE info directly to the lock screen. Android lets you put any message you want on your lock screen: Start by opening Settings. Tap Security & Location. Next to Screen Lock, tap Settings. Tap Lock Screen Message. Enter the information you want displayed, such as your primary emergency contact and any medical conditions, and tap Save.
Note: If you are like me and you don't use the lock password function for your phone, you can't swipe up on the lock screen because a swipe will unlock your phone (because you don't need a password).
If you want to put an emergency message on your lock screen, you should go to Settings, and open Lock Screen. In the list that opens, you should see Contact Information, and type in your message that you wish to be presented on your lock screen. Additionally, I had a difficult time using the above instructions list, because when I open Settings, there is not a function labeled User and Accounts. Through much exploration of my various settings functions, I was able to discover (through no small measure of patience and perseverance- technology is not my thing!) an alternative to the above directions. Go to your Contacts. At the very top, you should see a little icon for you, accompanied by your own phone number. Click on your contact, and this will open up your profile. At the bottom of my profile, I found two important and useful function tabs. The first is Medical Info, and once I clicked it, it allowed me to enter in my medical conditions, allergies, current medications, blood type and even had an additional slot for “other,” which I think is very helpful. The second tab was called Emergency Contacts, and opened up my contacts list to all of the people I had programed in as my emergency people.

iPhones
If you have an iPhone, you should have a feature in your phone called Health app, which is used to set up a Medical ID. The first time you open your Health app, you will be prompted with a walk through. If you have previously opened up the app and have not completed set up, it may not prompt you. The process for updating your Medical ID should look like this: Open the Health app and select the Medical ID tab. If prompted, tap Create Medical ID. Otherwise, tap Edit. Enter any information you want to be available to emergency responders. Make sure that Show When Locked is turned on. This will allow your Medical ID information to be accessed from your iPhone's lock screen. At the bottom of the Medical ID screen is a section for emergency contacts. The contacts will need to be people who are already listed in your Contacts app. After you select a contact, the Health app will ask the person's relation to you.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up your Medical Information and Emergency Contacts! Now, in the case of an accident or other emergency, if something were to hinder your ability to share your important medical needs, a good samaritan, police officer, or paramedic can access your emergency information from your phone and provide you with the quality care that suits your specific needs and requirements, as well as alert and inform your specified people of whatever has occurred.