Where did people place medical tattoos, so they are found.

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Sourdough

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If someone is found unconscious; they are taken to the Emergency Room. Where would ER personnel look for any medical conditions, they might learn of any history of medical issues. Bracelet, tattoo, dog tag, etc.
 
Bracelet or necklace. But get an"official" one - one that has a caduceus on it (the medical symbol - two snakes wrapped around a pole with wings on top). Plain dog tags may or may not catch medical providers attention. I never looked at anyone's tattoos even once, back when I was a paramedic.
 
I've got a few tattoos, but I would never consider putting my medical information in a tattoo. I wouldn't consider wearing dog tags or a bracelet either. I'm willing to take a chance.
 
When I was still with the PD my later years I was primarily assigned to the senior neighborhoods. Many a morning my first call would be for someone who, as I would say, woke up dead. Kind of a harsh term but it was reality and as many folk say they hope to pass in their sleep.
Anyways, many times I saw "Do Not Resuscitate" tattooed on their chest. I think from time to time about getting the DNR message along with "No Advanced Life Support" on my chest. I am not a tattoo kind of guy, but those are what I will get if my health starts declining rapidly or if I ever get "the bad news" from the doctor.

Unless someone was "acting drunk" or having a seizure or similar medical episode we normally did not look for bracelets or dog tags or other such things. The "acting drunk" is a sign some diabetics have when blood sugar levels are out of whack, and if we did not see empty bottles or disheveled clothing or similar we would guess at blood sugar levels. But, if someone was in cardiac arrest or some other sever condition opening the shirt to prepare for the defibrillator would reveal the tattoos.
 
It has been suggested to me that I should wear a medical bracelet because I am B- blood type. I don't even know if they make these or if that is that important?

Bracelet or necklace. But get an"official" one - one that has a caduceus on it (the medical symbol - two snakes wrapped around a pole with wings on top). Plain dog tags may or may not catch medical providers attention. I never looked at anyone's tattoos even once, back when I was a paramedic.
Can you get additional information added, engraved on them? Name and more? It seems that he is concerned about paramedics or other medical personnel having access to his medical history.
 
Some anecdotes from the military.......

SS troops were all blood typed and then tattooed with that type in their armpit.....the idea being that avoiding marking the appendages was better if some of them were missing when the patient got to the hospital. But that required all their medics to be trained to look in the casualties arm pit. A modern medic will only look into the armpits if they are looking for any extra holes/bleeds.

In the last couple to few decades, some of us have had blood group tattooed onto our arms......and almost all of us had our blood group marked on our armor/plate carriers. Some also marked their blood group on their boots (for when they got separated from their armor......or their arms).

But the problems with all that in a civilian setting is that, I doubt any Emergency Room staff will trust what you have marked by any means on you.....they will get your blood typed as a matter of routine/certainty before they give you whole blood.
 
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FWIW, no hospital is going to choose a blood type to give you based on a tattoo or a medical bracelet. That is not considered trustworthy enough for use. You are going to be typed and crossmatched in the hospital.

Allergies you have are important, any medications that you take are important, and major medical conditions and past treatments are important (diabetes, transplant recipient, etc.) If you are a DNR, the hospital may or may not honor that if they don't also have your paperwork previously documented and on file.
 

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