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| EMERGENCY INFORMATION IN CASES WHERE THE PATIENT IS STILL ALIVE: This information is for those cases where the patient IS STILL ALIVE, but IS NOT enrolled in the American Cryonics Society (ACS) suspension program. If a patient is in impending or immediate danger of death, but does not have an ACS membership with complete legal and financial arrangements in place, then there are a number of limitations and requirements which apply. Because circumstances for each case differ considerably, it is difficult to provide detailed instructions, so before calling ACS concerning this patient, please review the following information: It may be possible to make arrangements for a relatively good cryopreservation, depending upon available funds and the degree of cooperation from people "on-site". In some cases, it may be possible to dispatch a suspension team to the patient's location, or to make arrangements to have the patient transported to a location in closer proximity to a suspension facility. It is also sometimes possible to send solutions and instructions to a local funeral director, given at least a day or two leeway, and arrange for washout and perfusion, depending on time and circumstances. Before we take any steps to prepare for a suspension, ACS must first receive a completed membership application and dues payment. This allows us to enroll the person to be suspended, or a member of his family, as a member of ACS. If ACS makes use of contract companies (which may martial more resources for a better suspension) we may also recommend that the person to be suspended, or a family member, be enrolled as a customer or member of one or more of these supporting organizations. For last minute cases, it will also be necessary to have funds available to pay local cooperating funeral directors, or for a suspension team. This will certainly require at least $5,000 in immediately available funds. In addition to this, funding for long-term cryogenic care must be in place. Ultimately, funds of at least $35,000 must be committed. There are no government programs, or private charities providing this money. Suspension members or their families must arrange for all funding. The American Cryonics Society has a person on-call 24 hours a day to deal with emergency cases. Before calling, make sure that you have on-hand the relevant information concerning the patient. A form to help you list and organize this information is given below. After reading the rest of these instructions, complete the form and call us immediately at (408)446-9001. Time is of the essence, especially where there is a danger of imminent death.
Informed Consent It is very important that the person who is to be suspended, or the person making arrangements, understand the limitations of cryonic suspension. It will be necessary that a consent form be signed, which states that the person signing it understands these limitations. We also will require that an attorney review the forms you sign and have the opportunity to advise you on this decision and the legal ramifications. If the Patient dies in the course of the sign-up process, it will be impossible to do the best kind of cryopreservation, and the condition of the patient may be worse than usual to an unknown degree. The family will need to have time to make an informed decision. We therefore suggest that they get the patient packed in ice as quickly as possible (especially the head), by hospital or funeral personnel, and arrange for a local funeral director to pack the patient in dry ice as quickly as possible after that, in a well insulated holding unit. This initial preparation may make it possible for arrangements for long-term cryogenic storage to proceed, as well as providing time for family discussion. Should it be decided that the patient is not to be placed in long-term cold storage, costs will be limited to money already spent. It is sometimes possible to keep the patient preserved with dry ice for a weeks time before making the decision to terminate or proceed.
Emergency Information Questionnaire To save time, before calling the American Cryonics Society, please make sure you have read the information above. Then complete items 1 through 7 below as best you can. This information will help us to best advise you.
1) What is the date and time of this call? _____________________________________________________________
2) What is the name of the patient in distress? _____________________________________________________________
3) What is the full name of the calling party? _____________________________________________________________
4) Phone numbers (Cell/Pager/Fax) and email where caller can be reached? _____________________________________________________________
5) What is the caller’s relationship to the patient? _____________________________________________________________
6) What is the patient’s MedicAlert number (if applicable)? _____________________________________________________________
7) Where is the patient located? Floor and room number, if a hospital or nursing home. _____________________________________________________________
Signature (when mailing or faxing): ____________________________________
ACS Emergency numbers: Pager: (408) 308-4403 Toll Free Number: 1-800-523-2001 The American Cryonics Society works with two other companies for coordinated cryonics assistance. If, for any reason, you are not able to reach the American Cryonics Society initially, please call our associates at the Cryonics Institute and at Suspended Animation, Inc. When calling either of these companies, be sure and specify that you are calling concerning an emergency cryonic suspension situation through the American Cryonics Society. By informing the emergency operator who answers the phone at either the Cryonics Institute or Suspended Animation, Inc. that this is an American Cryonics Society case, you insure that personnel from the American Cryonics Society will be called upon to help provide better suspension assistance. Cryonics Institute: (586) 791-5961 Suspended Animation, Inc.: (954) 557-8760, available 24 hours a day. |
