ComplaintsforBedford Medical Alert

• Initial Complaint

  20/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Bedford Medical Alert contracted with me to provide a fall detector device for each of my elderly parents. I have been paying $92.66 per month since Apr. 9, 2021. This device is supposed to provide assurance we would be notified, or an ambulance called if no response, should one of them fall. On Sept. 5th, 2021, my mother slipped and suffered a serious break of her shoulder, forceful enough to break the end of the humerus right off, leaving her in shock. They claimed the fall wasn't the kind that could be detected, and so no data was collected. She was wearing the device. ******************************************. 4 nights in hospital. I called several times for an investigation of the device and service. I was met by **************** denial and the manager would not return my calls (****** ********). While the device could not have prevented the fall, she could have received help much sooner. It was an unreliable device, ******************** and a waste of money.

  Business response

  18/11/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2021/10/20) */ Thank you for contacting us regarding this client's concern. Bedford Medical Alert does not and cannot prevent falls and medical emergencies. We understand how traumatic and heart wrenching they can be for individuals and families. We are happy to hear that this client's health is improving and we very much feel for this family's experience. Helping in these medical emergency situations, to the greatest extent possible, is why we exist. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ Client record confidentiality requirements limit what we may share on this platform and our response only relates to the information already publicly offered by the client's family member. To respond in full, Bedford would be required to disclose client information that, for the benefit of the client, is not appropriate for the company to post on a public forum. We have thoroughly reviewed client data and audit records relating to this client, which included correspondence, telephone call logs, medical alert device signal and monitoring activity, and monitoring response recordings. We are confident in the service that we provided, and we hope to regain the client's trust. Our company data shows: in line with the information that was posted by the client's family, a client's continued movements about, above a defined movement threshold, are deemed by the technology to indicate a situation in which a person is able to push the help button if help is required. Bedford provided this explanation to the family on several occasions. It is essential to highlight the fact that the Bedford Medical Alert pendant button was pushed and worked as designed on the date of the event described by the client's family. On the date indicated by the client and during the event described by the client, Bedford received an emergency signal and communicated via two way voice with those in the client's home. Emergency two-way voice recordings are securely on file with Bedford. Bedford dispatched the ambulance to the client's home and the client received medical attention as described by the complainant. The client was transported to the hospital as described by the complainant, with Bedford acting as per the client's personal protocol. The details of this event are referenced in the submission by the client's family and Bedford is not disclosing client health information. The manager named in the client complaint, with whom this client was not able to speak, is the company's President and CEO, who when requested, is accessible and often takes client calls. On the day that this event occurred, the company president was admitted to the hospital with his wife, who was in labour in the maternity ward. Together, the president and his wife welcomed their second child. Team managers were on-call and accessible and spoke with the client's family, but they did not feel comfortable disclosing this information about the company's president. We request that the name of the company employee, referenced in this complaint, be withdrawn in accordance with Better Business Bureau policy. Regarding automatic fall detection technology, the device has sensors that capture data that yield an expansive number of parameters, such as orientation change, impact intensity and impact speed. If one of the sensors notices an atypical pattern of activity, the pendant works to determine, to a high degree of accuracy, if an actual fall has occurred, such that sensors and the device's processor confirms indications that a person is unable to press the button. Algorithms working in this way enable the device to be much more sensitive and discerning, while at the same time avoiding client frustration and use discontinuation due to constant false alarms. In the moments immediately after movement indicative of a fall, the device senses additional movement indicating to a high degree of accuracy that a client is ok. These devices save countless lives each year. Bedford provided the explanations required to the family on several occasions. Every client is fully briefed on the advantages and limitations of automatic fall detection solutions, with information left behind in the home. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to reply to this concern. Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2021/10/21) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) There is nothing in the explanation that recognizes their equipment failed. My mother fell and did not get up again. She has dementia and remembering to push a button after a traumatic fall is not something we can reasonably expect. She did not move around, though they claim she did, because she could not get up. She was found in the exact position after the fall some time later. The explanation provided is full of technospeak, meant to distract from the equipment failure. Why did I pay $100 per month for a fall detector that did not detect a fall? This is very poor customer service, *************************************************************. Two of their customer service people called me back, each to discuss the data tracked on a client, at the wrong address. We spent time trying to match our records before the mistake was identified. No one called me back at any point to discuss my mother's data from her correct address. As to the manager's wife giving birth, I understand, and congratulations.

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