Medical ID Cards

There have been some recent incidents throughout the Known World as well as within our shire that have shown that there are times when access to medical information about gentles attending Society events would have been most advantageous. Let me first say that the Society is in no way going to restrict anyone from participating in Society events due to a medical condition. However, for safety reasons, there should be a way to notify the chirurgeon or other rescuers that you have a significant medical condition in the event that you were incapacitated and unable to tell them yourself. This information could make a life-and-death difference in your treatment.
Minimum information that should be readily available is: mundane name; medical conditions; name, dosage and frequency of medications;, and an emergency contact. In the category of nice-to-know: home address and phone; private physician name, address and phone; and medical insurance information (in case emergency transfer is necessary).
The best method to communicate this information would be in written form kept somewhere on your person. Examples are a medic alert tag, medical ID card, or a slip of paper that contains the basic information. Less desirable is having someone on-site that is familiar with your condition. (This is not as good because Murphy says that as soon as that person leaves your side, you will become incapacitated.) Advising the Marshal or Chirurgeon can help, but at large events it is hard to keep track of many people and their problems..
Major accidents and injuries are thankfully infrequent at SCA events, however, by helping those who seek to help you by providing this basic medical information, we can minimize the effect of the problems that do occur.
 

Update Aug 2015:

Francis du Chalfont writes:
Team Medical Dragon has implemented a voluntary system for anime and gaming conventions but it requires access to a laminator. The form is blaze orange with a SoL on the outside.  The information is written on the form, which is then folded and laminated for security. In the event an attendee requires medical attention and is not coherent, the form can be easily opened with EMS shears and the information retrieved. A similar form is available for furry conventions to alert rescuers to zipper placement.  Something that might be modified for fighters and their armor.

www.teammedicaldragon.org


Friar Galen

© 2015 Galen of Ockham (MKA Keith E. Brandt, M.D.)  May be used in SCA pubications as long as content is not modified and proper credit given. For all other uses, please contact the author at galen@chirurgeon.org .
 

Return to the Chirurgeons' Point