Emergency medical care card launched

MedIndia Hospitals has introduced an emergency medical care card that people can carry in their wallet all the time. T.S. Chandrasekar, chairman of MedIndia Hospitals Research and Training Institute, launched the card on Sunday at the hospital’s continuing medical education programme.

Dr. Chandrasekar said such cards are helpful especially when a patient travels unaccompanied and is brought unconscious to a hospital. The card includes details such as name, age, gender, blood group, mobile number, besides a list of common diseases. Those requesting such cards can approach the hospital, which will conduct a master health check-up at a concession and would provide the cards.

Diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart, and liver, bleeding disorders, fits, asthma and allergies are listed and the patient’s condition is indicated in the card.

Indian Medical Association’s State president T.N. Ravishankar, who welcomed the initiative, suggested making it a swipe card through a public-private partnership programme to help the rural population access medical care in Primary Health Centres.

Madras Medical College’s Director of the Institute of Medical Gastroenterology A. Murali also spoke.