To start our testing process, we read all the research we could find on medical alert systems, their benefits, and their limitations. There’s tons of research out there on medical alert systems and automatic fall detection accuracy. We stay up to date on the latest technology to make sure we’re offering you the best picks on the market.
Next, we consult with our board of expert medical reviewers—a cracker-jack team of nurse practitioners who specialize in working with older adults and other aging experts who guide our testing efforts and review our stories for medical accuracy.
After that, we start poring over medical alert system customer reviews. We are voracious readers of customer reviews—we’ve read thousands of reviews on trusted third-party sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot.
Then, it’s time to hear from the people. We survey caregivers and older adult medical alert system users—just like you—to understand what’s most important in a device. What matters more: looks or functionality? Do you want an at-home device since you usually stick close to home, or do you need a GPS device to keep up with your active lifestyle? Those answers help guide our testing efforts so we can be sure our reviews are as helpful as possible.
We test many medical alert systems but only recommend a select few—we focus on brands that offer the following:
- Fast response times
- Automatic fall detection
- Advanced features
- Range of prices and devices
All of our recommendations are reviewed by our board of aging experts, so you can be sure our picks are safe, appropriate, and some of the best you can find.
How we score and review medical alert systems
Once we hand-test our medical alert systems, it’s time to score them based on performance. We collect over 65 data points on every medical alert device we test. We take that mountain of data and create a scorecard, which is our rubric for giving a medical alert system its overall score out of 10.
Each score has a certain weight based on the following factors:
- Customer service (15% of total score): How easy is getting support or help troubleshooting? How does the brand handle test calls or accidentally pressing the button? What about multiple ways to contact customer service and fast, friendly service?
- Brand reputation (10% of total score): What are the brands’ grades on third-party review sites like BBB and Trustpilot? Do the companies have any pending lawsuits?
- Features (40% of total score): Do the devices offer all the essential features identified in our surveys and conversations with aging experts? How did brands perform when testing things like monitoring center response time? If devices have snazzy features like automatic fall detection, apps with two-way communication, and advanced tracking for caregivers, they get extra points.
- User experience (25% of total score): How difficult is the medical alert system to use? Is it easy to set up? Can caregivers use the brand’s app to make their job easier and provide better care?
- Price (10% of total score): Does the device offer good quality for the money? Does the brand have a money-back guarantee, solid warranty, and low-interest financing options?