Treatment- The Pocket Md

Mike is 85 years old and overweiqht. He also has various other health conditions, including Type-ll Diabetes and coronary heart disease. Fortunately, he neither smokes nor drinks alcohol, but he does take 23 prescribed pills dailyl

ln addition to spending time with his family, what Mike loves most is taking cruises!

John has been in the medical field for 25 years with degrees in biochemistry and medical technology. He has owned the largest independent clinical laboratories in both South Florida and Puerto Rico.

John created a worksheet for his father to carry with him at all times. lt lists Mike's emergency-contact information, his medications and daily dosages, and his physician's name, address and telephone numbers. lf, God forbid, his dad were critically ill or injured, someone would find this document in his wallet and know h0w t0 treat him immediately. John kept the information current as Mike's medications changed.

ln April of 2005, Mike was on a seven-day cruise with his lady friend, Fanny. The cruise was going great until the fourth day. The seas were calm and the new ship was beautiful, but Mike thought the food was causing him diarrhea. He continued to take his pills, but he was not eating enough. During the second day of

symptoms he was drinking only fluids and no solid food. (As a diabetic, this has seri0us c0nsequences. When the ship docked, Mike had been taking his pills but not eating solid food for nearly three days, and the diarrhea was still severe.

After stopping at home, Mike and Fanny went to visit a friend in the hospital in West Palm Beach. Mike took her to the front entrance of the hospital and then drove to find a parkinq spot. After about 30 minutes, Fanny, concerned that he had still not joined her, went to find him. She discovered him slumped over the wheel in the driver's seat, foaming at the mouth, and slurring his words. He couldn't elevate his head. 5he immediately found help and Mike was rushed into the emergency room-thankfully only 100 yards away.

ln the E.R., the physician and staff-members questioned her:

"What kind of medication is he taking?"

"l'm not sure what he takes."

"Who is his doctor?"

"l don't know!"

"Has he been sick?"

"Yes" and she proceeded to tell the cruise and his diarrhea.

During the next two hours, Mike underwent several tests including an EKG, X-rays, and a CT-scan, but his blood could not be drawn. Eventually, the staff-members searched his pockets and found the worksheet with his medications listed. They phoned his son who was named as the emergency contact.

John immediately went to the hos pital, drew his father's blood, and told the physician about his dad's Type-ll Diabetes. Fanny then announced that, while he had not eaten for three days, he had continued to take his pills. lt appeared that the medication had caused his blood sugar level to drop and now he was in a diabetic coma. (Normal glucose/blood-sugar range is B0 -120 mg/d; Mike's was 23!) lmmediately the physician proceeded to treat him for diabetic-coma.

During that night in the E.R. waiting room, John observed that the loved ones of many patients, like Fanny, could not answer any of the basic health-related questi0ns. He understood immediately that the physicians and staff, and the patients themselves, are severely disadvantaged by this lack of essential information.

Without accurate information, the physicians cannot comprehensively assess what has happened and how to treat the patient correctly. lfthe patient is unconscious and/or the physician does not have the patient's medical history, they are under the severe stress oftime, accuracy, and great expense-and the possible death ofthe patient!

John knew there must be a better way. The Emergency Room physician told him that every night was like this one, and that E.R. physicians must address symptoms before they attempt to assess the history of the patient. lt would be much easier if there were a complete history for every patient that came through the E.R. doors.

John began to consider how this could be accomplished. That night, he created a plan-on a napkin-of how a person's medical history could always be available, even if he were unable to communicate due to injury or illness.

After his dad's condition had stabilized, John had breakfast with the E.R. physician to talk about his idea. He asked him, "How would your job be if every patient in the Emergency Room carried their complete medical history with them? Would it make your job easier?"

"Absolutely!" the doctor replied. John shared his concept, and the physician loved it!

John remained with his father in the hospital and continued to work on his idea. He researched available technologies and began t0 write his business plan. He found no one else offering this type ofservice.

By the fourth day, Mike came out 0f the diabetic coma and began to fully stabilize. After seven days, John and his father left the hospital together.

0nce home, John invited his friends to talk about his new idea. He wanted them to pick it apart; to find the mistakes in his thinking; to think of reasons why it would not work; or how it could be better? After four hours of brainstorming, the conclusion was obvious: it was a fantastic idea that would save livesl Trusting the advice of his friends and business associates, John began creating the company, energized by a product that would benefit n0t only patients and their families, but also the medical community and society as a whole!

John has continued to work on the project day and night and coniinues t0 do so. From his father's crisis in April 2005, an important new company was born. MYP0( KETMD was incorporated in May 2005. The ever-growing client base now includes physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, the cruise industry, and everyday people.

Vol 28 Issue 2 Page 52