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Veterans Can Get No-Cost Medical Alert Id Bracelets Through The Va

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Subject: [VeteranIssues] veterans can get no-cost Medical Alert ID bracelets through the VADate: May 19, 2011 3:33 AM

· From: Jim Strickland

News to use. Did you know that veterans can get no-cost Medical Alert ID bracelets through the VA? Neither did I. Neither did anyone at my clinic. You can read the VHA directive at my place if you come visit. Do you know a vet with diabetes, allergies, seizures, etc.? Please pass this on.

http://www.vawatchdogtoday.org/VAWatchdogToday.html

Department of Veterans Affairs

VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-007

Veterans Health AdministrationWashington, DC 20420 February 24, 2009

PROVISION OF MEDICAL IDENTIFICATION (ID) BRACELETS AND PENDANTS1. PURPOSE:

This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive provides policy regarding the provision of medical identification (ID) bracelets or pendants containing pertinent medical information (allergies or diagnoses) that would be valuable to emergency health care providers.

2. BACKGROUND:

Symptoms of common ailments can be misdiagnosed by responders to an emergent situation involving a person who is unable to communicate. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential to effective treatment. The use of an ID bracelet or pendant is a standard way to provide this information to health care providers in a situation where the individual cannot communicate.

3. POLICY:

It is VHA policy that ID bracelets and pendants must be available, upon appropriate request by Department of Veterans Affairs clinicians through Prosthetics Service, for veteran patients whose pertinent medical information would be valuable to emergency medical care providers.

4. ACTION

a.

Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director.

The VISN Director is responsible for ensuring that all facilities within the VISN are issuing ID bracelets or pendants, as appropriate.

b.

Facility Director.

The Facility Director is responsible for ensuring that local systems arei n place to provide enrolled and otherwise eligible Veterans with appropriate ID bracelets orpendants in accordance with this Directive.

c.

Facility Chief of Staff.

The Facility Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring that electronic consults to Prosthetics Service are in place for use by clinicians to request ID bracelets or pendants when such devices are indicated, and that clinicians are educated about their availability and appropriate use. The consult must:(1) Specify the information to be engraved on the device. This can include, but is not limited to: food and drug allergies, diabetes, seizure disorder, and metal fragments in the body.(2) Specify if an ID bracelet or pendant is required.

d.

Chief, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service.

The Chief, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service, is responsible for ensuring that:

THIS VHA DIRECTIVE EXPIRES FEBRUARY 28, 2014

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/

http://www.facebook.com/dan.cedusky

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This is great to know. I have to wear one and ordered it through the pamphlet at CVS. Cost quite a bit to get several as I tend to lose things. I'll have to contact my PCP to get the ball rolling. THANK YOU!

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I don't think the VA would provide some of the new

medic alert pendants / bracelets I've been seeing lately,

but they have ones now that you hook a USB cable to and download

your medical info into it. You can also shower with it on.

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This is great... I wonder if I need to first call my Primary care Dr. and ask her to ask the prosthetics clinic to get me one? is that how we get one?

I need one... every day I leave my house, even to walk the dog I make sure I have my id, because in my condition, I could drop at any time and have conditions which are life threatening if not handled properly...

I called my primary care doctor to ask for a bracelet...

thanx..

Subject: [VeteranIssues] veterans can get no-cost Medical Alert ID bracelets through the VADate: May 19, 2011 3:33 AM

· From: Jim Strickland

News to use. Did you know that veterans can get no-cost Medical Alert ID bracelets through the VA? Neither did I. Neither did anyone at my clinic. You can read the VHA directive at my place if you come visit. Do you know a vet with diabetes, allergies, seizures, etc.? Please pass this on.

http://www.vawatchdo...chdogToday.html

Department of Veterans Affairs

VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-007

Veterans Health AdministrationWashington, DC 20420 February 24, 2009

PROVISION OF MEDICAL IDENTIFICATION (ID) BRACELETS AND PENDANTS1. PURPOSE:

This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive provides policy regarding the provision of medical identification (ID) bracelets or pendants containing pertinent medical information (allergies or diagnoses) that would be valuable to emergency health care providers.

2. BACKGROUND:

Symptoms of common ailments can be misdiagnosed by responders to an emergent situation involving a person who is unable to communicate. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential to effective treatment. The use of an ID bracelet or pendant is a standard way to provide this information to health care providers in a situation where the individual cannot communicate.

3. POLICY:

It is VHA policy that ID bracelets and pendants must be available, upon appropriate request by Department of Veterans Affairs clinicians through Prosthetics Service, for veteran patients whose pertinent medical information would be valuable to emergency medical care providers.

4. ACTION

a.

Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director.

The VISN Director is responsible for ensuring that all facilities within the VISN are issuing ID bracelets or pendants, as appropriate.

b.

Facility Director.

The Facility Director is responsible for ensuring that local systems arei n place to provide enrolled and otherwise eligible Veterans with appropriate ID bracelets orpendants in accordance with this Directive.

c.

Facility Chief of Staff.

The Facility Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring that electronic consults to Prosthetics Service are in place for use by clinicians to request ID bracelets or pendants when such devices are indicated, and that clinicians are educated about their availability and appropriate use. The consult must:(1) Specify the information to be engraved on the device. This can include, but is not limited to: food and drug allergies, diabetes, seizure disorder, and metal fragments in the body.(2) Specify if an ID bracelet or pendant is required.

d.

Chief, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service.

The Chief, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service, is responsible for ensuring that:

THIS VHA DIRECTIVE EXPIRES FEBRUARY 28, 2014

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.../VeteranIssues/

http://www.facebook.com/dan.cedusky

Edited by retiredat44
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Don't be surprised if it takes 6 months to a year to get it.

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I wonder if they pay the yearly subscription to keep the Medic Alert number active? I bought 2 Medic Alert bracelets, one for every day, one for dress. Wish I had known the VA would supply them!

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