Hudson Regional Hospital, in partnership with Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the town of Secaucus, has improved First Responder- patient communications by creating a File Of Life emergency medical information card program for Secaucus citizens.
Registration in the national File of Life program involves filling out a foldable card with pertinent medical information. The card is placed in a red magnetic file that first-responders are trained to look for on the refrigerator or in the freezer, that assists them in providing care to patients even if they are not able to communicate at the time of the emergency. File of Life has been providing its life-saving information cards for more than two decades and is in 18 million homes nationwide.
Hudson Regional Hospital’s healthcare professionals will be available to assist residents in filling out their own free File of Life cards and provide free health screenings to anyone who registers at a series of Community Registration Events. The program will officially begin after it is announced at the Secaucus Mayor and Council Caucus meeting on Tues., Feb. 26th at 4:30 PM at 1203 Paterson Plank Road.
“It’s a simple way for citizens to ensure they are getting the best possible care in a medical emergency, and a great step towards building a healthier Secaucus,” said Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
“Medical emergencies can happen to anyone at any time, and a patients’ confusion, panic or inability to provide information on current medical issues can interfere with their care,” said Kristin Hyman, Chief of EMS for Hudson Regional Hospital. “The File for Life card can speak for them and can tell public safety dispatchers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics what steps to take to save their lives.
Registration events will be held throughout the year at large residential complexes, public gathering places, and local businesses with the goal to have all Secaucus residents enrolled by the end of 2019. The hospital’s Community Outreach Team representatives will come to to the homes of any Secaucus residents who are unable to attend these events due to mobility or health issues.
Hudson Regional Hospital is the first hospital in Hudson County to offer the File for Life emergency medical card program. It intends to work with municipal and county officials to have all Secaucus residents registered by the end of 2019.
A full list of Community Registration Events can be found at www.hudsonregionalhospital.com/about-us/events.
For- and non-profit organizations interested in hosting an on-site Community Registration Event, or those requesting a free File for Life information packet can call or text 201-687-1107 or e-mail EMS@hudsonregionalhospital.com.
About Hudson Regional Hospital
Hudson Regional Hospital is located at the former Meadowlands Hospital facility at 55 Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus. For more information about Hudson Regional Hospital, visit www.hudsonregionalhospital.com or call (201) 392-3100.