MedicAlert Foundation and Rare Disorder Group Provide Free Medical IDs

Newswise — MedicAlert Foundation is pleased to announce that individuals living with Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) are now eligible to receive free medical IDs and live 24/7 emergency response services as the result of a grant obtained through the Sandi Ida Glickstein Fund at the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS). MedicAlert Foundation currently partners with MHAUS to provide 24-hour hotline services; MedicAlert Foundation’s emergency response staff and MHAUS’ professional volunteer experts work in coordination to communicate with attending healthcare professionals to successfully manage MH crisis situations. This partnership is now expanding to provide additional layers of protection to individuals with MH.

Malignant Hyperthermia is an inherited genetic disorder found in an estimated 1 out of 2,000 people. MH crisis situations are triggered by commonly used general anesthetics and the paralyzing agent, succinylcholine, and results in a biochemical chain reaction response in the skeletal muscles of susceptible individuals. General signs of MH crisis include increased heart rate, greatly increased body metabolism, muscle rigidity, and/or fever that may exceed 110° F along with muscle breakdown. Without proper and prompt treatment, MH crisis mortality is extremely high, without immediate recognition and treatment with the antidote, dantrolene sodium.

“It is critical that individuals living with Malignant Hyperthermia have a medical identification product, as well as live 24/7 services that are available to the medical professionals who are providing for their care,” said Andrew Wigglesworth, President and CEO of MedicAlert Foundation. He adds, “Our partnership with MHAUS has offered unmatched dependability as both organizations are trusted resources among both healthcare professionals and individuals living with Malignant Hyperthermia. We know that our services undoubtedly save lives in the event of an emergency.”

"The mutual respect and cooperation between the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) and MedicAlert has been enhanced through our joint effort to make the Sandi Ida Glickstein Fund support available to those MH-susceptible individuals who may need an ID Tag to speak for them when they are unable to do so said, MHAUS Executive Director Dianne Daugherty. Patient safety is a main premise of both organizations and is also the main focus of this program. The generosity of one of our founders, Mr. George Massik, has made this option available and we at MHAUS are grateful to him and to MedicAlert for their willingness to work with us to make the free ID tags a reality."

Free MedicAlert medical IDs and services are available for individuals with Malignant Hyperthermia through the MedicAlert website (www.medicalert.org/donate/mhaus). These free products and services are available to all individuals living with MH, regardless of their financial status, until the grant funds are exhausted. Eligibility for sponsorship through this grant includes the following: 1.) A diagnosis of the medical condition Malignant Hyperthermia 2.) Submission of a completed MedicAlert Foundation sponsored membership enrollment form. Approved individuals may select a MedicAlert medical ID; the medical ID will be engraved with the following information: a unique patient identifier number, the individual’s Malignant Hyperthermia condition, and MedicAlert’s 24-hour emergency response number. This collective information aids in saving lives by providing first responders and medical personnel immediate access to the individual’s medical records, including their Malignant Hyperthermia susceptibility. If experiencing an MH crisis, the healthcare professional can also be immediately connected to MH Hotline resources to ensure the individual receives quick and proper treatment.

About MedicAlert Foundation
Established in 1956, the nonprofit charity MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the use of medical ID products and delivers the most dependable, responsive, and trusted Emergency Identification and Medical Information Network. MedicAlert provides the functionality of an e-health information exchange through an innovative combination of a unique patient identifier linked to a personal health record and a live 24/7 emergency response service. MedicAlert Foundation International medical ID products alert emergency personnel to a member’s primary health conditions, medications or other critical information. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation International also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones. Visit www.medicalert.org for more information.

About Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States
Established in 1981 when families who lost their children to Malignant Hyperthermia or were unable to find information about MH. Malignant Hyperthermia is a genetic disorder found in an estimated 1 out of every 2,000 people. Today MHAUS provides information and resources to medical and lay communities through conferences, educational materials, ID tags, 24-hour MH Hotline, MHAUS website, and with the help of MH Groups. The mission of the MHAUS is to promote optimum care and scientific understanding of MH and related disorders.