Emergency & medical-ID glossary
Short, source-cited definitions of the terms you'll run into when building an emergency card, planning care for an elderly parent, or working with paramedics and ER staff. Written in plain language — not for clinicians, but for everyone else.
ICE contact (In Case of Emergency)
A labelled phone-contact or wallet-card entry that tells first responders who to call if you cannot speak for yourself.
POLST vs DNR
Both document end-of-life treatment preferences, but a POLST is a clinician-signed portable medical order with much broader scope than a stand-alone Do Not Resuscitate.
Vial of Life
A small container kept on or near a refrigerator with the resident's medical info inside, flagged by a sticker on the door or front window so EMS know to look.
Advance Directive vs Living Will
An advance directive is the broader legal document covering future healthcare decisions; a living will is one specific type that states your end-of-life treatment wishes.
Emergency Contact Form Template
The intake document used by schools, daycares, workplaces, camps, and care facilities to record who to call and basic medical info in an emergency.
Medical Alert Bracelet
Wearable identification engraved with critical medical conditions, allergies, and/or a membership ID linking to a 24/7 call center — checked by paramedics during the primary survey.
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Bracelet
A specific medical alert bracelet or medallion indicating the wearer has a valid DNR order — the bracelet alerts EMS to look for the signed physician order, but is not itself a legal DNR.
HIPAA Release Form
An authorization that lets a specific person access your medical records or communicate with your doctors — required for caregivers managing a parent's or spouse's care.
MedicAlert vs Medical ID
MedicAlert is a specific nonprofit subscription service (founded 1956) with a 24/7 call center; "medical ID" is the generic term for any device, card, or phone feature carrying health info.