FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Irene Maslowski, 973-226-1494
                  Tom Croarkin, 973-451-9004

 UMED 24-HOUR WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL RECORDS CALL CENTER LAUNCHED


Morristown, NJ-The uncertainty and potential danger of emergency medical care were both reduced today as Universal Medical History & Information, Inc. announced the launch of its new UMED Service, which provides immediate, 24-hour access to a person's medical records.

Designed for people who travel, who have chronic medical conditions, or who are caregivers for the chronically ill, UMED ensures that in an emergency, a patient's medical history will be immediately available to an emergency physician anywhere in the world, at any time of day or night, or in any language.

Until the launch of UMED, there was no comprehensive, secure, accurate place to store a person's medical records so that they could be accessed in an emergency.  "There are so many people who are battling health problems themselves or serve as caregivers for their parents or children," explains Armand Benoit, President of Universal Medical History & Information.  "We live in a mobile society, and as people travel more, they're often away from their family in a medical emergency.  That's where UMED comes in—we can speak for the patient when they can't speak for themselves."
 
"The information in your medical records—such as current medical
conditions, allergies, and medications—can speed your treatment, reduce complications, even save your life," Benoit continues.  "For instance, if emergency physicians don't know that you have a violent allergy to penicillin or that you're taking an anti-depressant, they can actually make your condition worse by prescribing the wrong medication."

If a patient is unconscious or disoriented, emergency medical personnel
look for identification so they can reach a patient's family member to
determine their medical history.  Yet statistics show that 70% of the
time, they are unable to reach anyone. 

UMED makes it simple. In the event of an emergency, you or someone on your behalf can call UMED's toll-free number and provide them with your member number and password. All of this information can be found on a UMED subscriber ID Card. UMED will verify that the caller is a medical professional, that the situation is an emergency, and will be able to immediately access your medical history.

UMED's Call Center is unique.  It's staffed by Registered Nurses who can speak to physicians using proper medical terminology, with translation into foreign languages as needed. This ensures that the information is conveyed accurately.  If the physician wants a printed copy of the patient's medical record, it can be faxed immediately.

UMED is more than just a life saver. It assists with day-to-day health care management and can be the repository for all of your medical data —past, present, and future.  UMED can record your family medical history, alternative medications, immunizations, living will, and organ donorship preferences.  Your instructions regarding resuscitation, life support, and blood transfusions are also noted in your record. 

"Many people change doctors or are seeing several doctors," states Benoit.  "Keeping track of your medical history can be difficult.  With UMED, you can not only keep track of it yourself, you can also make sure each of your doctors knows your entire medical history. You can ask UMED to fax your medical records to a new physician in advance of your first visit, which will save time in filling out forms." 

UMED's medical records are the most secure and accurate available anywhere.  Nurses, who are trained to identify errors, input the records.  As a safeguard against error, UMED sends each subscriber a review copy of his or her record.  Insurance companies, claims managers, or other individuals will not be able to access records without a password and member number, unless the subscriber provides a signed release. 

UMED is available in the United States and Canada. It is flexible and offers two levels of service for as little as $80 per year.  The Emergency Record System is appropriate for persons who have uncomplicated medical histories or feel competent in filling out their own UMED record.  The Comprehensive Record System works best for people whose complicated medical situation requires that their physician(s) complete their record.  With the Comprehensive Record System, UMED will actually contact physician(s) on a subscriber's behalf to implement completion of the person's medical history.

To find out more about UMED and to receive an information kit, please call 1-800-675-6692.