MedicAlert Foundation Urges All Americans to Make Their Wishes Known in Recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day - April 16th, 2011

TURLOCK, Calif., March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This April 16th, MedicAlert Foundation will participate in the National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) Initiative. The goal of NHDD is to encourage individuals and families to discuss healthcare decision making and advance planning, such as understanding treatment options, exploring attitudes and values on end-of-life care, sharing views with family and friends on treatment wishes, and properly documenting those wishes and the appointment of a healthcare proxy. In an effort to ensure end-of-life wishes can be shared, MedicAlert Foundation provides free downloads and storage of authorized written Advance Directive forms from every state.

"MedicAlert Foundation is proud to participate in National Healthcare Decisions Day," said Andrew B. Wigglesworth, President & CEO of MedicAlert Foundation. "It is important for all Americans to make sure their wishes are known in the event of a serious illness or injury." MedicAlert Foundation can, on behalf of members, provide their written advance directive to physicians and family members, so that others are aware of the kind of care and treatment they do or do not want If they are unable to speak due to serious illness or injury. Wigglesworth also points out that NHDD highlights Americans' need to ask several basic questions: In the event of an emergency, how will my wishes be known and honored? Will my loved ones be prepared to make decisions on my behalf if and when the time comes? Will my loved ones know where to actually find a copy of my advance directives?

With MedicAlert's membership service, written advance directives are safely and confidentially stored, and made available when and where they're needed. MedicAlert Foundation can provide stored advance directives to designated contacts - including family members, healthcare proxies or agents, and doctors. Consumers are encouraged to download the state-recognized forms from MedicAlert's website - http://www.medicalert.org/directives. The forms may be filled out online and printed to be duly notarized with the signatures and contact information required in each state.

Advance Directives storage is a benefit of MedicAlert membership. Additional membership benefits include:

• Live 24/7 Emergency Response Services
• Live 24/7 Family and Caregiver Notification Services
• Personalized MedicAlert Wallet Card
• Emergency Medical Information Record (EMIR℠) Creation and Storage

For additional information about National Healthcare Decision Day and efforts throughout the country, visit www.nhdd.org.

For further information about MedicAlert Foundation's participation in NHDD, its advance directives program, and other MedicAlert membership benefits/services, please contact MedicAlert Foundation's marketing department at [email protected] or call 209.669.2407.

About MedicAlert Foundation

More than 50 years ago, MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the use of medical IDs and systems to relay vital medical information on behalf of its members to emergency responders so they receive faster and safer treatment. Today, 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 medical IDs alert emergency personnel to a member's primary health conditions, medications, or implanted devices. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones in the event of an accident or major disaster. MedicAlert services are available around the world through a network of international nonprofit affiliated organizations licensed by the Foundation. Visit www.medicalert.org for more information.

SOURCE MedicAlert Foundation