The following release was issued on January 22, 2010:

Maker of Revolutionary USB Portable Personal Health Record Card Introduces New 911 Medical ID Medallion
911 Medical ID Card & Medallion Help Users Easily Create a Portable Personal Health Record (PHR)

(Louisville, KY) – Just months after introducing the 911 Medical ID™ USB portable personal health record (PHR) wallet card, its maker, MEMI Tech, is launching another revolutionary product. The new 911 Medical ID Medallion™ is designed to be worn around the neck, and includes the same features and functions as the wallet card. The medallion is perfect for use by the elderly, disabled and children.

“It is the thinnest, smallest and lightest portable personal health record USB device ever made, and it offers exactly the same patented and proprietary software and functions as the popular 911 Medical ID Card.,” says MEMI Tech CEO Mark Weiss. “The medallion is designed for those who don’t carry a wallet but need the protection of having their important medical and personal information with them at all times.”

The 911 Medical ID Card, is designed to be carried in a wallet like a credit card, while the new 911 Medical ID Medallion, which weighs less than a quarter-ounce and is the size of a military dog tag, can be worn around the neck on a chain or on the included lanyard. Regardless if you have the card or the medallion, the technology is designed to empower the user to take personal responsibility and control of their health information by creating an electronic portable, personal health record.

“In the event of an emergency, healthcare providers will have instant access to all your vital medical information, said Dr. Guy Lerner, MEMI Tech’s medical adviser. “Your medical conditions, medications, allergies, living will, medical tests and much more are all right there on the card or medallion. Having them easily available avoids delays in treatment and costly mistakes. The only way to assure that your healthcare providers have the best chance to help you is to always carry your own up-to-date comprehensive portable personal health record with you in an easily findable and readable format”.

When plugged into the USB port on any Windows-based computer, the 911 Medical ID Card and Medallion automatically launch software that walks the user through the steps to enter their information. The devices each have a two gigabyte storage capacity, and allow the owner to safely store private documents in the secure password-protected area of the card. Each also has the capability of storing medical records of ten family members. All of the information is easily backed up onto a password-protected HIPAA compliant, private secure server location that can be accessed from any computer with access to the Internet.

“Because it fits on a lanyard or chain around your neck, the new 911 Medical ID Medallion is easy to find in an emergency, said Weiss. “It is the perfect option for seniors, people with disabilities and other special needs, children with serious conditions or allergies, and anyone else who needs their medical information to be available at a moment’s notice. Owning and using this product could literally save your life.”

For more information on the 911 Family of Products, please visit http://www.911familyofproducts.com. Information can also be found at the 911 Family Facebook Page, or on @911medicalid on Twitter.

About MEMI Tech
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, MEMI Tech, LLC is the developer of the world’s thinnest patent-protected USB health information storage device, the 911 Medical ID™ Card, as well as the world’s thinnest, smallest, and lightest health information storage device, the 911 Medical ID Medallion™. These unique portable devices are designed to hold personal medical information to be used in the case of emergency or when visiting a healthcare provider, and to allow the user to easily create and carry their portable personal health record (PPHR). For more information on MEMI Tech and the 911 Family of Products, please visit http://www.911familyofproducts.com.

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A new study by PriceWaterHouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute shows employers are taking a critical look at the services offered by their insurers, and they’re not satisfied with what they’re seeing.  One of the most interesting findings is the interest in technology, including personal health records (PHRs):

Interest in personal technology tools such as personal health records and online comparison tools is surging. Nearly half of all employers say it is important for insurers to offer these tools, but less than half are satisfied with what they are getting.

We’re pleased to see the public getting on board with the idea of taking control of their personal health information.  We, of course, believe that to be truly useful a PHR needs to be not only easy to use, but also portable.  Being able to use a PHR in a doctor’s office is key, but being able to use it in the event of an emergency is critical.

Read the full news release about the PriceWaterhouseCooper study here.

According to preliminary estimates from a U.S. government report, the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in doctor’s offices is indeed increasing.  According to a story on TMCnet, the report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows four out of every ten office or clinic based physicians is now using EMRs…

43.9 percent of physicians reported using full or partial EMR/EHR systems – not including systems used solely for billing – in office-based practices. About 20.5 percent reported having systems that meet the criteria of a basic system, and 6.3 percent reported using a fully functional system.

The survey indicates that from 2007-2008, physicians use of any EMR system increased by 18.7 percent and the percentage of physicians reporting having systems that meet the criteria of a basic system increased by 41.5 percent. Researchers conclude that the 2009 preliminary estimates did not change significantly from 2008.

Follow this link to read the full story.

A new article puts the blame for the slow pace of electronic medical records adoption squarely on the patient.  The article, published on MSNBC and filed from last week’s 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, says the culprit in the delay of digitizing the U.S. healthcare system is lack of demand from the public.  Comments on the subject came from experts attending CES to view the latest healthcare gadgets.

Doctors and medical technology executives said Saturday that the biggest hurdle to computerizing health care isn’t tradition or Luddism or bureaucracy — it’s the reluctance of consumers to sign on. Without consumer demand, manufacturers and administrators can’t justify the upfront cost of digitizing patients’ cases and securing their records because they can’t be reasonably sure they’ll recover their investment.

“The health care dollar has really been stretched to the extreme in the United States,” Deepak Ayyagari, director of technology programs for Sharp Laboratories of America, said during a daylong conference on digital health at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show. “We can’t invest further in all the things required because we don’t see a market.”

We at the 911 Family of Products, of course, counter that having a product like the 911 Medical ID Card can make consumer’s lives easier as medical professionals transition to digital records.  The goal of the card is to interface with all major doctor’s office record keeping systems.  As new EMR systems come online, the card will automatically be updated, at no charge to the cardholder.  This allows the user to easily keep up to date and in charge of their health information

To read the rest of the article on MSNBC, click here.

Big news for 911 Medical ID this week! The 911 Medical ID card was named the #1 must pack travel item for familymoons by Honeymoons.com! A familymoon is a honeymoon for blended families. It’s different from a honeymoon in that the kids come along, which obviously brings a unique set of challenges. Here’s what Honeymoons.com had to say:

Keep the entire family safe and up to date with the 911 Medical ID Card is a unique and life-saving new health information storage card all travelers should carry with them. Since most people traveling are not likely to be near your primary care physician, and this card lets you easily take all of your necessary health information along with you, it can be a lifesaver.

Check out the rankings here: 2009 Top 10 Must Pack Familymoon Travel Products

Welcome to the first in a series of several podcasts we’ll be producing here at the 911 Family of Products.  In this program, we hear from the Mark Weiss, CEO of the 911 Family’s creator, MEMI Tech.  Mark gives a great rundown of what the 911 Medical ID Card and Medallion can do, and how they’re important factors in this new world of personal health records and electronic medical records.

Listen online by using the player below, or download the file by using the link below the player.

911 Podcast – Episode 01 (8:32)

You can subscribe to the 911 Podcast in iTunes or in your favorite feed reader by using this link: 911 Podcast Feed.