Medical Identification Tags

Medical identification tags should be worn by people who have an ongoing medical condition, drug or food allergy, or are taking multiple medicines. In the emblem or the tag, notes are written that mention the disease, allergy, or current medications prescribed to the person.

The main objective of these tags or IDs is to alert the doctor or medic about the allergy or condition of the person before starting the treatment. These tags are worn as bracelet, necklace, or other jewelry items. Most people prefer wearing bracelets, rather than other items.

As already mentioned, the tags are effective for acknowledging the health condition of the wearer in case he/she is not in a position to communicate. They are first-aid tips for the medical experts like doctors and nurses, which in turn helps in saving the life of the wearer in case of emergency. As per statistics, medical experts look for the medical alert jewelry in more than 90 percent of emergency cases.

With the help of these tags, the emergency team can acknowledge the current situation effectively, thus preventing delayed treatments and/or the wrong treatments. In some IDs, phone numbers of the person's doctor or family member's is also mentioned.

Moreover, as per the American Diabetes Association, all diabetic patients are recommended to wear these alert devices, particularly those who are on the medications for lowering the blood sugar levels. Overall, these tags help in seeking immediate medical attention to avoid severe complications or life-threatening conditions.

Medical identification tags are categorized into several types based on the technology, information provided, and the material used in making them. One of the most commonly used medical alert tags is medical ID jewelry, which can be made of stainless steel, silver, or gold. The health condition of the wearer is engraved in the jewelry. Nowadays, there are certain medical information organizations that provide ID tags to their clients.

In recent times, USB medical alert tag has also been proposed. In comparison to the conventional bracelets, these USB alert tags have more storage capacity. Nevertheless, USB alert tags cannot be accessed without a computer.

Therefore, considering this drawback, conventional medical alert tags are more advantageous, as they can be viewed anytime without using any type of technology. Also, alert devices with wireless alert buttons (panic button) are available, in which the wearer can send an emergency signal by pressing a button.

The tags should provide clear and readable information. The engraved text may vary as per the person's condition. In majority of the ID tags, there are four lines, the first line is marked for the name, the second line for the current health condition, the third line for the allergies, and the fourth line for the current medications.

However, in some cases the identification tag may be limited to only two lines, while in some it may extend to six lines. In the latter case, information like emergency number and home address can be mentioned.

In addition, one can also order customized ID tags with different designs, text information, and material types. It is always advisable to a wear visible identification card along with medical identification tags. The identification card should include additional information such as concerned physician's name, dosage of medications, and address of the person.