Bay Alarm Medical review

Bay Alarm Medical is a company that specializes in providing medical alert systems and services for seniors and their families. It offers home-based and mobile systems with 24/7 professional monitoring services. It has been in business for over 70 years and has a headquarters in Concord, California. It overall gets high marks with 4.8 out of 5 stars based on over 10,000 reviews.

That said, we’ve had too many issues with connection and sensitivity issues. The issues actually overshadow the benefits of Bay Alarm Medical's overall value. Twice we’ve had issues with medical alert devices not connecting to the emergency response center that the brand has partnered with. And twice we’ve had fall detection sensors call for help when nobody was around, resulting in an ambulance being sent out to us. Twice. That said, we recognize the issues might be isolated to our experience and not endemic to the service as a whole. 

Still, it is a concerning pattern that we can’t ignore. While Bay Alarm Medical offers some benefits, we've encountered persistent problems with connectivity and sensitivity. These issues overshadow the overall value of the service. Twice, our medical alert devices failed to connect to the emergency response center that Bay Alarm Medical partners with. Additionally, our fall detection sensors triggered false alarms twice, resulting in unnecessary ambulance dispatches.

It's important to note that our experience may not be representative of the service as a whole. However, the recurring issues are concerning and cannot be disregarded.

Bay Alarm Medical: Medical alert systems

In keeping with the practices of many medical alert companies, Bay Alarm Medical utilizes the MyTrex MXD system for both the in-home landline and cellular systems. This system incorporates a speakerphone with a high volume output, offering both advantages and drawbacks. Having evaluated numerous MyTrex MXD systems, we have found that while they consistently deliver the highest volume output on the market, the audio quality can be variable. We believe this is due to the practice of reusing medical alert systems after they have been returned by customers who have canceled their service. Over time, the speaker will inevitably deteriorate, leading to poor communication quality with emergency responders. We strongly recommend testing the speaker quality and returning the device if you are not satisfied with its performance.

Additionally, Bay Alarm Medical offers a unique in-car medical alert system. This system connects to your vehicle's AC adapter and automatically calls for assistance in the event of an accident or if you are stranded, lost, or in need of help.

During our initial three-week testing period, we received a device that was programmed with an invalid phone number. When we pressed the help button, we received an automated message stating that the number was no longer valid, followed by a request to call a different number. However, the message was always terminated before the complete number was provided. We reported this issue to Bay Alarm, and they promptly sent us a replacement device. Unfortunately, by the time we received the new medical alert system, it was no longer practical to conduct comparative testing with other systems in terms of their call response times.

During the execution of the second phase of testing, our team experienced connectivity challenges with Bay Alarm Medical's mobile medical alert system. On two separate occasions, the system failed to establish a connection with an emergency response center, necessitating them to contact our personal telephone number to ascertain our well-being. Additionally, the system initiated two false alarms when no individuals were present, resulting in the dispatch of an ambulance to our testing facility on both instances. Currently, the precise cause of these issues remains uncertain. Bay Alarm Medical has provided an apology and has offered to replace the device; however, the persistent issues have undoubtedly given us cause for concern. 

Bay Alarm Medical: Emergency response center

The initial testing phase revealed that the emergency response time was not satisfactory, with an average of approximately 50 seconds, which exceeded the industry standard. Notably, there were two instances where calls remained unanswered after a duration of five minutes. These instances were excluded from the final results due to a suspected device malfunction. 

It is noteworthy that in both cases, the emergency response center proactively contacted us via our private phone line to ensure our well-being. This indicates that the call for assistance was received, but the device encountered an unexplained technical issue that prevented it from establishing a connection with an operator. In comparison, GreatCall demonstrated significantly faster response times for emergency calls, with an average of 20 seconds per call, which is approximately four times faster than our device's performance. 

One positive takeaway was the quality of the calls. When we were successfully able to connect, the calls were excellent. The operators were clearly well-trained, maintaining an interested, yet calm demeanor. They made sure to ask if we were okay multiple times and almost always required us to confirm our identity, a necessary security measure often skipped by call centers. One positive aspect of the calls was their overall quality. When connections were successfully established, the calls were consistently excellent. The operators demonstrated a high level of training by maintaining a professional and attentive demeanor throughout the interactions. They consistently inquired about our well-being and almost always requested confirmation of our identity, which is a vital security measure that is frequently overlooked by other call centers.

Bay Alarm Medical: Medical alert service

Bay Alarm Medical employs a relatively assertive approach to marketing and sales strategies compared to its competitors. Upon providing personal information, individuals should anticipate a consistent stream of emails, texts, and phone calls. Nevertheless, such practices are commonplace within the industry. It is important to note that Bay Alarm Medical operates on a no-obligation basis, ensuring that customers are never pressured into making unaffordable purchases.

Bay Alarm Medical has forged a partnership with Bella Charms to enhance the aesthetics of medical alert pendants through innovative decorative elements. This strategic collaboration aims to address the social stigma associated with traditional medical alert devices. By concealing the pendant within an attractive piece of jewelry, the solution increases the likelihood of seniors adhering to the usage of their devices.   

Bay Alarm Medical: Pricing

Bay Alarm Medical offers different plans and packages for their medical alert systems and services. The pricing varies depending on the type of system, the features, and the payment frequency. Here are some examples of their pricing:

SOS Home Landline: This is the basic package that works with a landline phone and a help button. It starts at $24.95 per month with no equipment cost.

SOS Home Cellular: This is similar to the landline package but works with a cellular network instead of a phone line. It starts at $29.95 per month with no equipment cost.

SOS Home Cellular with Fall Prevention: This is a device that combines the features of the in-home and mobile systems. It has a base station, a help button, and a GPS tracker. It can work both in and away from home. It starts at $39.95 per month with a one-time fee of $159.

Also note that there is free shipping on devices, and some plans offer a free month of service.

Bay Alarm Medical: Support

If you need support from Bay Alarm Medical, you have several options to contact them. You can call them at 1-877-522-9633 or 1-925-677-1400 and press “1” to reach their customer service team. You can also send them an email at [email protected]. Their customer service hours are Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time.

We also visited their website and found helpful guides and videos on how to use their products and services. If you have a medical emergency, you can push your help button and a professionally-trained operator will be on the line.

Bay Alarm Medical: Final verdict

Bay Alarm Medical has low prices for its landline and mobile systems, starting at $25 and $30 per month respectively. It also has a unique in-car medical alert system that sets it apart from other services.

However, we are less than satisfied with Bay Alarm Medical due to the frequent issues we have faced. The connection problems with both the MyTrex and the mobile system reduce the value of the service, despite the otherwise attractive pricing.

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