Choosing the Right Emergency Contact: Who Should Be on Your Card

The Three Rules of a Good Emergency Contact

An emergency contact is only useful if they can be reached, they are calm enough to communicate clearly, and they have the information to make decisions on your behalf. The three rules: reachability (they answer unknown numbers), proximity (they can reach you or the hospital within a reasonable time), and authority (they know your medical history and wishes).

Who Not to List

Do not list someone who lives in another city unless they are the only family you have. Do not list someone who has severe anxiety or is likely to be hysterical in a crisis — this can slow hospital communication.

Do not list a landline number unless you have verified it recently. In 2026, many listed landlines are disconnected.

How Many Contacts Should You Have

The Ealth card supports multiple emergency contacts in priority order. We recommend a minimum of two: one person who knows your medical history (ideally a family member) and one person who can physically be present quickly (a colleague, neighbour, or close friend).

In emergencies, the first contact is called immediately. If unreachable, the second contact is called within minutes.

What to Tell Your Emergency Contact

Tell them: your blood group, any major allergies, any ongoing medications, your preferred hospital (if you have one), and whether you have insurance and where the policy documents are. Give them your Ealth profile link so they can review your full medical details.

Have this conversation once a year. People's phone numbers change, circumstances change, and the conversation itself is a reminder to everyone that emergencies are real.