Medical ID Sharing In iOS 13.5 Beta 5 Allows Users To Share Their Info With Emergency Responders

iOS 13 beta 4 has another feature in addition to the COVID-19 exposure tracing notifications, which is related to the Medical ID informatio...

iOS 13 beta 4 has another feature in addition to the COVID-19 exposure tracing notifications, which is related to the Medical ID information sharing in emergency calls. iPhone users can allow their iPhones or their Apple Watches to automatically share their Medical ID information when they call emergency services and show the information on the iPhone lock screen. This makes it easier for first responders on the frontlines to see the emergency information and contacts from the iPhone users during an emergency, regardless if they are severely ill with COVID-19 or in any other urgent distress.

The iOS 13.4 beta 4 version revealed the new features of the coronavirus response tools on the iPhone, from Face ID usage with masks, changes to the contact tracing feature introduced in iOS 13.5 beta 3, and the Medical ID sharing features. The sharing feature will allow emergency personnel to allergies, underlying conditions, language barriers, and much other health information during an emergency situation. Here is the description from the Health app when Medical ID is opened on the iPhone:

iPhone and Apple Watch can automatically send the information in your Medical ID to the dispatcher who answers your call.

This can speed up the process of getting the care you need.

iPhone users can turn on this setting in Health after updating to iOS 13.5 beta 4. It can show the identification of the user regardless of the iPhone is unlocked or not. This can be accessed when editing information in the user’s Medical ID information for their iPhone and Apple Watch. When sharing is enabled, the information and the iPhone’s location is shared when the user makes a call or iMessages emergency services in their country. All of the information shared between the user and dispatcher in the call or message is encrypted by Apple.

Therefore, if Emergency Calls & SOS is disabled on the iPhone in Location Services, the feature can not be used. Machine learning from the iPhone also plays a part in Enhanced Emergency Data, where the location data from the iPhone in a supported area can also forward Medical ID info to one of Apple’s partners to be delivered to local medical services.