Vial of Life

The Vial of Life was named after the prescription bottles that were originally used to store a medical information form inside the patient's refrigerator.

[8] Another important directive is a legal document called the Health Care Power of Attorney (HCPOA), which designates a person to make medical decisions if the patient can no longer express their own preferences.

Unlike physician orders (DNR, MOST, POLST), the HCPOA typically includes a list of various patient preferences for receiving or declining medical treatment.

[9][clarification needed] In 1981, the Sacramento chapter of the American Red Cross transferred their program and a small amount of Vial of Life supplies to Jeff Miller, founder and CEO of Vital-Link, Inc.

In the following years, Miller and his distributors continued the program by providing free Vial of Life kits to their medical alert system subscribers as part of the service.

This charity supplies materials across the United States, including to Red Cross chapters, governmental agencies, hospitals, and pharmacies, among others, providing free Vial of Life kits or discounted decals for those needing mass quantities.

[14] When paramedics arrive at a house, a decal on the front door or window alerts them that the resident uses the Vial of Life for their medical information.

[16] These plastic vials tended to get lost in the refrigerator, pushed towards the back over time, making them hard to find for emergency crews.