Saving The Life Of A Loved One – It’s More Than Sending A Medical Alarm
Simply stated, the level of professionalism of a service provider’s emergency monitory service and its resultant activation response/dispatch protocols are just as important, if not more, than the quality of its system equipment, pricing and other key business metrics and performance. There are many factors that constitute a highly-professional emergency monitoring and dispatch service that seniors and families must base their trust and confidence. If a prospective provider doesn’t talk about this…find another provider immediately. By the way, at First Response, this is our passion.
An Emergency Response Scenario That Should Never Happen to A Provider Client….But Can!
Here’s the scenario. You have just set-up and activated your new emergency medical alarm system for a loved one through a nationally advertised provider. You have now achieved the desired “peace-of-mind” feeling knowing that your loved one is now protected 24/7 with medical alarm monitoring. Particularly when you can’t be there by their side day or night. Life is good for “both” sides of the family (the user and the family member caregiver)…..back to a normal life!
Then you get the frantic phone call from said loved one. ” I fell, pressed my panic help button and the operator came over the 2-way speaker console FIFTEEN minutes afterwards and I don’t know what happened after that….” Then, further confusion ensued with fragmented, delayed response phone calls from the provider’s monitoring call center to members of the “friends and family contact notification list” to communicate that an alarm had been registered, but….and so it goes.
Granted, this is a dramatic scenario, but this unfortunate event does happen with other providers, large and small, national and local. Read on to learn what elements are critical to providing the best emergency medical monitoring protection for you or a loved one.
24/7 Emergency Monitoring Service – 5 Critical Elements
1. The emergency monitoring center should be located in the United States and provide nationwide coverage and reliable response/dispatch services on a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week basis.
2. Emergency monitoring center should access an updated in-house computer data storage facility detailing every emergency responder agency (i.e. medical; police and fire) with jurisdiction throughout the United States.
3. Emergency center responders should only be live operators, not voice mail or via phone line response and are industry certified in emergency medical services (EMS) response and dispatch. Spanish-speaking operators should also be provided to users, if needed.
4. Optional and customized response and dispatch protocols should be enacted with approval from user/client. This includes, but is not limited to, response protocols when user does not respond to the live operator’s alarm call response over 2-way medical device and personal phones and more.
5. Account profile information on record including personal medical data form for EMS/EMT on-site treatment, lock box and key/security alarm data, customized alarm response protocols and more.
Customer Service and Support
The provider company should offer responsive customer service and support to users and their family member caregivers on a 24 hour, seven-day-a-week basis. Contact with customer service should be easily accessible through a toll-free number, e-mail and a web site link. In the event call volume prohibits a live response over the phone, leave a message and that non-emergency call should be returned by provider customer service within 1 to 2 hours.
For more detailed information or if you would like to discuss a customized emergency monitoring and dispatch protocol plan for you or a loved one, please contact First Response Client Services & Support at (866) 686-9344. This is our passion!
“I am very uneasy and have had many falls after my surgery. Ordering the First Response system was easy and I even set it up myself. I have had to use my alert button a few times so far. My daughter has even been contacted after I had taken a few falls. My First Response system has worked great each time I’ve needed it!”