Vial of Life
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The Vial of Life (
Background
It is unknown where and when the first Vial of Life program started. The Vial of Life was named after the
When a patient first starts with their Vial of Life kit, they must complete a medical information form about their medical history. When paramedics have complete medical information, they are able to take measures to treat patients appropriately in an emergency.[6] Patients fill out information such as blood type, medical conditions, current medications, doctor's name and number[clarification needed], allergies, insurance information, and emergency contacts,[5] the most recent cardiogram, and a picture.[7]
Patients should also include advance health care directives. These medical orders (DNR, MOST, POLST) must be signed by a physician and are the most frequently used medical directives. The DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order expresses the patient's preference to decline
Another important directive is a legal document called the Health Care Power of Attorney (HCPOA), which designates a person to make medical decisions in the event the patient can no longer express their own preferences. This legal document generally requires notarized signatures of the patient and one or more witnesses to the patient's signature. Unlike the physician orders (DNR, MOST, POLST), the HCPOA will generally include a listing of various patient preferences for receiving or declining medical treatment. In some jurisdictions, the HCPOA may not carry the same weight with emergency responders, because they may not know what form is required for the HCPOA document to be legally binding and the HCPOA may be a multi-page document using legal language not understood by the EMT.[9][clarification needed]
History
In 1981, the Sacramento chapter of the American Red Cross transferred their program and small amount of Vial of Life supplies over to Jeff Miller, founder and CEO of Vital-Link, Inc. In the following years, Miller and his distributors kept the program going by giving free Vial of Life kits to their medical alert system subscribers as part of the service.[10][11]
In 1998, Miller turned the program into a California public charity (which later gained
The Vial of Life has spawned similar programs such as "File of Life" and "Vial a Life". Jeff Miller and the Vial of Life Project Charity left the Vial of Life name in public domain so that the Vial of life could be replicated and used by other agencies and organizations. Due to his historical claim to the Vial of Life name, no organization can copyright the name.[13]
Other Vial of Life Programs
While there are different types of Vial of Life programs out there, they all function similarly.[14] When the paramedics arrive at the house, a decal on the front door (or a front window) alerts them that the resident uses the Vial of Life for their medical information. The decal will also direct the paramedics to where the information is kept, whether that is in a plastic bag on the outside of the fridge or a pill bottle inside of the refrigerator.[15]
Originally, Vial of Life kits came with a plastic vial (empty pill bottle or other container). The vial would be labeled with a Vial of Life decal, and the completed medical information form would be placed inside.
See also
References
- ^ "Vial of Life program". von.ca. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
- ^ "Jones appuie le programme salutaire de " Fiole de vie "". jonespackaging.com (in French). Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ "Vial of Life Information". Community Living Campaign. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
- ^ David Lowe, Eagle Scout on Flickr
- ^ a b "Vial of Life Program". Sutter Roseville Medical Center. Archived from the original on December 30, 2006.
- ^ "Vial of Life". New Mexico Poison Center. Archived from the original on December 8, 2006.
- ^ "Farmington public safety unveils Vial of Life program". candgnews.com.
- ^ "CORONA: Stickers to speed 911 responses". The Press-Enterprise. May 20, 2016.
- ^ "Fort Mill woman using S.C. pageant platform to promote Vial of Life program". heraldonline.com.
- ^ Bestry, Julie (April 13, 2018). "Organize to Help First Responders: The Vial Of Life". juliebestry.com.
- ^ "Forms". Vital Link.
- ^ "Vial of L.I.F.E." AARP. March 19, 2010.
- ^ "Vial of Life Non-profit" (PDF). vialoflife.com. February 17, 2009.
- ^ "Vial of Life Kit". Bay Alarm Medical.
- ^ "Vial of Life Program". Alameda County Fire Department. March 19, 2010. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018.
- ^ "Vial of Life". My Precious Kid. April 21, 2003. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010.
- ^ "Vial of Life". Santa Clara County Fire Department (CA USA). April 4, 2016. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016.
External links
- "Chebucto Links Senior Support Association".
- "A first responder's fair". May 18, 2016.
- "Program helps seniors prepare for disaster". May 2, 2016.
- "Planning ahead for health-care emergencies". Archived from the original on December 9, 2017.
- "NDDH VIAL OF LIFE PROGRAM".
- "Daytona Beach Fire Department". Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
- "City of Gilroy Fire Department". Archived from the original on December 7, 2006.
- "San Jose Fire Department".
- "The Memorial Hospital, Craig, CO". Archived from the original on November 11, 2006.