A capped plastic tube crammed with vital medical information is proving a boon to medics called to assist in life-and-death situations.

“It is really making a difference,” Orillia-area paramedic Janel Perron said of the still-emerging Vial of Life program.

In about 10 per cent of the calls to which paramedics respond, patients are unable to communicate for whatever reason – be it a stroke, a heart attack or other serious condition.

Without access to details of their medical history, emergency personnel are suddenly saddled with the additional challenge of having to determine the appropriate course of treatment without crucial facts at their disposal.

“Those are the times we most need that information,” said Perron.

Enter the Vial of Life.

Stored in the kitchen refrigerator, the stickered tube contains a patient information card documenting the individual’s medical history, medications they may be using and any allergies that may rule out the use of certain treatments.

“We want to know if they have an allergic reaction to a certain medication,” Perron added. “If they are not able to tell us that, we will withhold that (medication) based on an overall assessment.”

An accompanying fridge magnet identifies the patient as having participated in the program.

“This is for any situation where (a medical condition) would impair their ability to speak,” Perron added.

Members of the Simcoe County Paramedic Association this week urged residents to take part in the initiative during a series of presentations across the region.

Costas Bilissis, an Orillia-based paramedic, has experienced first hand the benefits of having immediate access to a patient’s medical history.

Bilissis recalled the case of an area man who was found unconscious when paramedics arrived at his home.

A Vial of Life stored in his fridge confirmed that he was diabetic, allowing responders to administer the medication needed to raise his blood sugar to the appropriate level.

“It helped us with our treatment plan,” he said. “It was very valuable.”

More than 20,000 of the vials have been distributed across the county since the program’s inception several years ago, Bilissis estimated.

They are available at Wal-Mart pharmacies throughout the county.