One of the most significant developments in health care is the trend toward living at home, rather than in a nursing facility, for much longer than previously possible. As health care costs are skyrocketing, it is clear that one way to help manage costs is by providing services directly to patients in their home. But not only is this a cost containment avenue…it is also what many of our patients and loved ones want.
But staying at home, sometimes alone, carries certain risks. One such risk has to do with access to help in the case of an emergency by means of a medical alarm. What if our loved one was to fall down? What about a medical emergency that requires the fastest response possible? I reached out to Bay Alarm Medical, a family owned & operated company that provides reliable emergency contact services for individuals living at home who may need such help.
Alan Wu is the sales and marketing manager for Bay Alarm Medical (a medical alarm company) and I appreciate his willingness to talk about this important topic with us here at The Honest Apothecary.
1) Alan could you briefly share with my readers the history of Bay Alarm Medical? How did the company get started and how long have you been in business?
Founded in 1946, Bay Alarm started as a local home/residential security company serving Northern California. It has since grown to a nationwide company with many subsidiaries including Bay Alarm Medical. To this day, the Bay Alarm family of companies is still family owned and operated.
2) Patients are choosing to live at home longer, and often need a reliable way to quickly and easily contact emergency services with a medical alarm. How exactly does the Bay Alarm Medical system work to address this problem?
Our traditional in-home medical alert system provides the user with both a base station and help button. If the user ever needs help, for whatever reason, all they need to do is push the button. Within a minute or less, our trained 24/7 operators will come over the speakerphone (inside the base station), initiate 2-way conversation with the user, and see if everything is okay. From there we can contact family, friends, neighbors, and if necessary, dispatch local emergency services.
3) How does the Bay Alarm Medical product differ from other competitor products on the market?
The medical alert industry has been around for a long time and for the most part, the technology hasn’t changed. Customers should get the same level of protection regardless of which company they go with. With that said, Bay Alarm Medical works hard to keep our prices the most competitive in the industry and we go out of our way to provide transparency, reputation and trust by partnering with various 3rd party rating companies.
4) I know you get this question a lot: Isn’t a cell phone good enough as a medical alarm? Can’t someone just dial 911?
Records on file – The heart of any medical alert system is the 24/7 monitoring station that backs it. When you contact 911, they won’t have your emergency contacts or medical information ready for the paramedics.
No battery backup – Our medical alert systems have a 32-hour battery backup in case of a power outage. If your medical alert system relies on your cell phone battery and that battery dies, there is no battery backup.
Lack of cellular reception – Cell phones rely on good cellular signal strength to make calls. In certain areas, there is very little reception. This can make it difficult to get help quickly.
Additional cost – Cell phone service can be as expensive as, or more than, the monthly cost of a standard landline medical alert system. The monthly cost of a cell phone compatible medical alert service may be very high and seniors on fixed incomes and cannot afford the additional fees.
5) What if I want to purchase this system for a parent who lives at home? Can I be automatically contacted anytime they call for help?
Yes absolutely. You decide who gets contacted. A lot of our customers prefer that family gets contacted first before local EMS is dispatched.
6) What if someone isn’t very “tech savvy?” Is this medical alarm going to be complicated to setup this system in the home?
No. Setup is very simple and simply requires the system to be plugged in like an answering machine:
Learn about setting up your Bay Alarm Medical system:
7) So, here’s the big question: How much does this service cost?
We have 3 different services with 3 different pricing options. They are listed here: PRICING
8) So if my readers want to sign up, where should they call and what information should they have ready?
Simply call toll free 1-855-500-7489. We’ll take care of the rest!
Bay Alarm Medical Medical Alarm Seniors
Last modified: April 17, 2023
