Startup Revolutionizes Do Not Resuscitate Readiness with Innovative Medical Order Door Pockets
Harold Thompson, an 82-year-old man, lay on his couch in his apartment at the assisted-living facility, weary after a life of hard work but determined to have his final wishes respected. With medical orders that stated, "Do not transfer to hospital," he was ready to embrace his twilight years in peace and power.
But late one evening, Thompson experienced a sudden wave of discomfort and a staff member called 9-1-1. Paramedics arrived swiftly. Unable to determine the cause of his discomfort without additional testing, they recommended that he go to the hospital and “get checked out, just to be safe”.
Harold was tired and confused. It was the middle of the night. Sometimes his medications made him groggy when he first woke up. But he knew that he didn’t want another trip to the hospital.. “I have papers”, he said, “papers that say what I want to happen in this kind of situation. My doctor and I both signed them.”
The medics paused and glanced at each other. “Well,” said one, “we need to see those papers. Mr. Thompson sighed, and thought to himself, I guess my final wishes don’t matter.
As the medics prepared to transfer him, Harold's health care agent, Victoria Lloyd, hurried in. Out of breath, she reached the paramedics in a flurry. “He doesn’t want to go to the hospital,” she said. But without the documents in hand, the paramedics needed to hear from Thompson directly that he was declining to be transported. Everyone turned to Thompson who, after a pause, reaffirmed that he wanted to stay in his apartment.
As the paramedics packed up, Harold felt a sense of relief wash over him. But he knew that he needed a better system for storing his medical directives. He needed to be sure that the documents would always be right at hand, ready for the medics, even if Mr. Thompson wasn’t able to tell them where to look.
The next morning, Lloyd came to help find a solution. She learned that, during his emergency, his DNR had been buried in a binder, under a stack of papers, in the main office of the assisted living facility. The disorganization and lack of a proper system sparked an idea. And, soon My DNR Wish was born.
After 6 months of development, My DNR Wish is proud to introduce a groundbreaking system for prominently displaying important medical documents, and enhancing DNR emergency care. The kit features a custom door pocket that mounts on the back side of any door, is made from durable, 100% wool, felt, design, and securely holds all of the documents that tell first responders and medical professionals what treatment you want and do not want. The kits are brightly colored which allows them to be more visible and reliably recognized for emergency personnel. It also includes a small discrete sticker that you stick on the outside of your door — similar to the ones firefighters use to identify children’s rooms during a blaze.
"Our mission is helping individuals clearly communicate to first responders their end-of-life wishes," said Victoria Lloyd, Founder. "By providing a quick and efficient way to access DNR orders, we are empowering individuals to have their end-of-life treatment preferences honored with care and respect."
In addition to offering peace of mind for individuals and their families, the My DNR Wish Kit also serves as a valuable resource for healthcare providers and emergency personnel, enabling them to find DNRs with ease in order to deliver timely and appropriate medical interventions without the risk of lost Do Not Resuscitate documentation which risks having your wishes not be followed.
Harold Thompson was among the earliest adopters of My DNR’s new system. Now, he says, if paramedics arrive at his apartment — they’ll know where to look.
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This is the true story of the founding of My DNR Wish. Names and identifying details have been altered to protect the privacy of the patient involved.