Every Second Counts
Empowering an individual in matters of healthcare is precisely what motivated Janice and Maria Gil to develop the ER Card. Founded in 1999, ER Card is a personal health record (PHR) and care management program that provides an individual and professional caregiver with anytime, anywhere access to pertinent health information. With the ER Card, an individual has his/her healthcare information and history in one place and can provide that information to a doctor or medical professional in a safe and secure manner when needed.
“Locally and nationally, the subject of health IT is viewed as a hope for the future. Finally, a safe and secure way to provide a patient’s critical medical history is available. Our team is helping to change the way medical information is delivered in advance of need,” said Maria Gil.
ER Card was developed under the premise that great care starts with great information. When care is needed in emergency and routine situations, ER Card is a valuable resource for current medications (prescribed and over-the-counter), allergies, emergency contacts, physical or verbal limitations, primary care doctor, emergency evacuation information and advance directives.
ER Card enhances communication between patients and caregivers by providing a complete picture as to the patient’s medical history. This allows for duplicate and contraindicated medications to be easily discovered. As a result, medical mistakes are reduced sharply and redundant tests and procedures often are eliminated. ER Card takes the guess work out of the history taking process, lessening a patient’s anxiety and supporting family caregivers.
As a care management program, ER Card staff contacts individuals, family caregivers or legal guardians to ensure that information is current and accurate. In addition, ER Card care managers provide reminders for preventative care visits, educate members regarding community resources, and inform members of product recalls.
Employers are now realizing that providing a PHR benefit is a step in reducing healthcare costs and increasing employee wellness. As an independent, unbiased, trusted source of information since 1999, ER Card can add value to employee benefit packages. ER Card costs may be covered by a flexible spending or health savings account, can be provided as an extended benefit to family members such as aging parents and children, and allows employees who travel extensively to have a direct connect with their medical information wherever they may go.
The cost of the program is $100/year for an individual, $150/year for couples and $200/year for families.
The Rhode Island company has enrolled thousands of ER Card members over the past five years through an aggressive grass-roots campaign, which includes partnerships with the City of Warwick, University of Rhode Island and many civic and not-for-profit organizations.
Recently, a local Angel healthcare investment group, Angel Health Strategies LLC of Providence, has joined with the founders of the ER Card to help further develop its base operations in Rhode Island. A consulting firm dedicated to innovative advancement in life sciences and healthcare services, Angel Health Strategies, LLC (www.angelhealthstrategies.com), provides both intellectual and monetary capital to assist early stage companies.
More information on ER Card can be obtained by calling 401-822-1181 or visiting the ER Card website at www.ercardmember.com.