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.

2009 was a big year for citizen education about healthcare, and there’s a great article found today on Health Leaders Media that charts 10 Phrases That Became Part of the Healthcare Lexicon in 2009.  Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) made the list:

3. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) versus Electronic Health Records (EHR). These acronyms were around before 2009, but more Americans are now aware of the technology. EMR and EHR are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing, although further refinements of their definitions are ongoing. EMR is the electronic replacement of a paper chart and the record of a patient’s history and care generated by one particular provider. An EHR, meanwhile, is a complete, long-term computerized electronic record of a patient’s care culled from any and all provider settings.

The EHR connects multiple providers, such as hospitals and clinicians, laboratories, and prescription and/or pharmacy histories, test results, and care notes collected by any provider throughout time for one particular patient.

Perhaps this list of 10 should be lengthened to 11?  Notably missing was the phrase “personal health record“, or PHR, which we think is as important as any of the others listed.  Creating a PHR allows individuals to take charge of their medical records, and creating a portable PHR with a technology like 911 Medical ID allows that data to be used not only in the doctor’s office for scheduled visits but also in the event of an emergency, when you can’t relay health information on your own.