New Health Partnership Helps Promote Patient Safety
A Canadian First as Canadian MedicAlert Foundation Teams up with Dell Pharmacy
HAMILTON, October 4, 2005 – Canadian MedicAlert Foundation announced a new pilot today that allows MedicAlert memberships to be purchased directly from pharmacists at all Dell Pharmacy stores.
"This is the first retail offering of our membership in Canada," said Dr. Martin Kabat, President and CEO of Canadian MedicAlert Foundation. "Such partnerships go a long way to help us provide the services that protect and save lives. If this initiative works well in Dell Pharmacies, we will consider launching the program right across Canada."
Dell Pharmacy is a 15 store chain in Hamilton and the surrounding Golden Horseshoe area. Through this partnership, MedicAlert has provided an exclusive offer only available at Dell Pharmacy. Membership with MedicAlert includes: a personalized health record; a custom engraved bracelet or necklace; a one-year annual standard membership; and a member wallet card.
"Our customers trust and rely on our pharmacists to help them understand their medications and gain a better understanding of their medical conditions," explains Anna Romano, Chairman, Board of Directors of Dell Pharmacy. "This is why pharmacists are in an ideal position to recommend MedicAlert to their customers as part of their treatment plan."
The Ontario Pharmacists' Association, the profession advocacy association representing over 10,000 pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training in Canada's largest province, has also endorsed this new service. "Pharmacists in the community are instrumental in helping people with specialized health needs," said Marc Kealey, CEO of the Association. "This partnership will ensure quick, easy access to a valuable resource that can be life-saving in an emergency situation."
Most importantly, MedicAlert speaks for its members when they cannot speak for themselves. People of all ages who live with a chronic medical condition or special needs can be at risk in an emergency if a condition is not identified immediately. MedicAlert provides 24-hour a day protection by offering medical staff the information required to deliver appropriate and timely treatment.
"As a not-for-profit organization, we look to partner with organizations that are community focused," says Pamela Collins, Director, Health Partnerships with Canadian MedicAlert Foundation. "We chose Dell because of their commitment to helping people."
Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is a national registered member-based charity with more than one million Canadian members. For over 43 years MedicAlert has been providing emergency medical information services in Canada. MedicAlert membership combines the universal recognition of the custom-engraved MedicAlert bracelet, necklace or watch that is linked to the MedicAlert 24-hour Emergency Hotline. In the event of an emergency MedicAlert ensures immediate access by emergency responders and health professionals to a member's medical record, anytime and anywhere.
For additional information, please contact:
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Anna Romano
Dell Pharmacy
(905) 385-5877 ext. 33
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Canadian MedicAlert Foundation
(416) 696-0142 ext 1251
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