# Prepping / Emergency Preparedness > General Emergency Preparedness >  Medical USB

## Rick

I've posted before that I maintain my own medical records and store them on a USB that I wear around my neck. This is especially important, I think, if you travel. If you are in an accident or have a serious illness it provides your attending medical team all the information they need to provide proper care. My USB contains: 

Basic personal info such as DOB, Height, Weight, Blood Type
PCP Information
Emergency Contact Information
Allergies
Prior Surgeries and Procedures
Current Medications, dosage and usage intervals
Family History
A Chronological History of doctor visits/procedures/tests and results
Graphs showing ongoing medical info such as BP, cholesterol readings, HDL/LDL, etc. 
Copies of all tests and surgeon's reports

What you keep on your records is up to you. However, I think the more information a medical team has in an emergency the better. One of the things I've struggled with is how to properly identify the USB so a medical staff knows what it is. There are a number of USBs that you can purchase but all of them seem to be in the $30 - $40 range, which I think is ludicrous. However, I found one today for less than $20 so I thought I would pass it along. 

http://www.vistaprint.com/design/PUD...rives-4gb.aspx

In the place of Web/Other I put my name and in the place of Company Name I placed Medical Information in red lettering. The cost, including shipping, was $17.73. I chose the longer 8 day shipping. You have to bypass a bunch of marketing junk but clicking past it and unchecking the newsletter options are pretty straight forward. How robust the USB will be and how long the lettering will last is another issue but I thought I'd give it a shot and pass along the information here in case others might be interested. If $20 bucks saves my medical team enough time (knowing my allergies for example) to save my life then it will be money well spent.

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## hunter63

So looks like what you are buying is a printed on USB?

How do they hold up wearing it....moisture, rain, heat/cold?

I have several/many copies.... in both vehicles, and BOB bags ....and computer bag.

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## natertot

Good thought Rick. Now that I seen the link, I remember that you can go to Office Max or Office Depot and they do the same. They may have a minimum quantity though, not sure.

Here ya go. Half the price, color options, customizable, and has a key chain ring. It is only 1GB, but not everyone has a medical record like Rick so........  :triage: 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...ash-Drive-1GB/

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## Rick

That's the question, Hunter. I had one that swiveled closed so the end was protected but being plastic a couple of months snapped the swivel. I like that this has a cap so there that makes it a bit more robust over the swivel version. I have no idea how long with printing will last. Might cover it with poly or some type of clear tape.

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## welderguy

You could alway do one of these ...and print it on a sticker and put it in your car, or on a laminated card etc etc. 

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## Rick

You are limited to less than 4300 alpha/numeric characters with a QR code. You won't get much info on it. Then whoever is reading it has to have an ap on their phone and they have to realize it's medical information.

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## welderguy

I would bet more EMS first responders would use the QR code quicker than leaving the patient to access a USB if they have a laptop on-board that is also if the USB and cd/dvd drive is not disabled Most vehicle terminals are 
 if you added the words  MEDICAL INFORMATION above the QR code And added the star of life they would get the idea.The USB would be good for the hospital personnel most first resonders wouldn't know what to do with some of that Info

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## Rick

That's an excellent point. We have a local station just down the street and I asked the EMTs if they had computers in the rescue trucks or the ambulance and they just laughed. Thanks, I'll have to give that some additional thought. Minimal info works on dog tags so I guess it could work on a QR code as well.

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## crashdive123

Not reason not to go both routes.  Quick and easy to access info for the field guys and gals with more detailed info for when arriving at a medical facility.

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## backpacker3

Print the qr code on a sticker that fits on the USB and put only the most pertinent info on the qr code personally I have my own domain so I can just link to a page on there if I wanted to. Also I'll add that SD cards are nearly indestructible you can submerge them in water countless times they'll tolerate pretty intense amounts of heat and unless you have access to some more than industrial strength magnets those can hurt them either. Plus you can lock them so the info cat be changed or erased.

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## Rick

Just a follow up. I received the USB Saturday. I've transferred my information onto it and it has become a "part of me". I did place some clear packaging tape over the letting to try and prolong it's life. The USB contains: 

1. My medical records. 
2. My health care power of attorney
3. A simple In Case of Emergency document
4. My living will 
5. My organ donor form

About the only left is suet. Maybe they can make a candle out of me.  :Dead:

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## tfisher

I will jest a an surgically implanted chip

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## Rick

whatever works.

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