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Medical Guardian Medical Alert Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.9 / 5 (Excellent)
609 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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Medical Guardian is a medical alert provider that was founded in 2005. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this company strives to offer services that are tailored to the consumer’s needs, complete with 24-hour monitoring. With its many plan options and devices, Medical Guardian stands out in the industry for product variety, the wide radius of its wireless devices, simple two-way communication, and for its 13, U.S. Based, 24/7 monitoring centers.
Limited time offers: Get 20% off the Mini 4G plus one month of free service when you sign an annual contract.

How is Medical Guardian rated?

Breakdown

5.0/5
Monitoring
4.8/5
Equipment
4.8/5
Contract and Price
5.0/5
Reputation and Certifications

Overall Rating: 4.9 / 5 (Excellent)

Medical Guardian provides an excellent variety of high-quality, reasonably-priced medical alert systems that cater to both users and their caregivers.

The company offers professional monitoring from their 13, U.S.-based, 24/7 monitoring centers, all of which are certified and equipped to provide ongoing service even in extreme situations.

Furthermore, its state-of-the-art smartwatches put Medical Guardian at the forefront of technological advancement in the realm of medical alerts. Medical Guardian scores highly with us for its diversity of products and straightforward, customizable services.

Medical Guardian Equipment

Equipment - 4.8 / 5

Medical Guardian offers five easy to use and install devices with that can be equipped with optional fall detection and your choice of landline, cellular, or mobile/GPS connectivity.

They have five different medical alert packages available, each equipped with the clients' choice of pendant, wristband, or clip-on water-resistant alert buttons.

Their most affordable system, the Classic Guardian, boasts an impressive 1,300-foot button-to-base station range in every direction and a 32-hour backup battery life. Other devices offer even longer battery life—up to seven days.

Medical Guardian recently introduced the Guardian Mini. The unit is quite petite, weighing in at just over an ounce and measuring 1.38 inches across. You can wear it on a lanyard or clip it anywhere on your person with the clip that's included.

Medical Guardian offers a mobile app that can be set up to issue a variety of alerts to family members. For family members and caregivers who prefer not to install the app, alerts can be delivered via text message or email.

The company’s latest product is the MGMove smartwatch, powered by AT&T 4G LTE. The touch-screen device has a multitude of features that combine the conveniences of a smartwatch with the functionality of a help button. It can report emergencies to the monitoring center using the SOS app, track their steps to keep up with their daily goals, check the weather at any time, and set reminders. The watch can also be used as a messaging device between the user and their Care Circle members.
System Types
Home Landline
Home Cellular
Mobile/GPS
Help Button Option
Necklace
Wristband
Bracelet
Mobile/GPS Battery Life
168 hours

Key Features

Wearable 2-Way Communication
Waterproof Help Button
Automatic Fall Detection
Supports Multiple Help Buttons
Fall Detection
Optional Fall Detection
Water-Resistant Help Button

Additional Info

Cellular Provider Options
Verizon
AT&T
Equipment Warranty
Lifetime Warranty

Monitoring

Monitoring - 5 / 5

All of Medical Guardian's 13 monitoring centers are U.S.-based and certified by Underwriters Laboratory, which recognizes the highest equipment safety and reliability standards in the industry.

Their centers also hold the CSAA Five Diamond Central Station Certification, awarded to monitoring centers that are committed to achieving excellence in both quality standards and customer service.

With state-of-the-art servers and telecommunications equipment, Medical Guardian's monitoring centers are capable of 100% redundancy even under the most severe scenarios.
Monitoring Options
Professionally Monitored
Monitoring Center Type
Owned
Number of Monitoring Centers
13
Services
24/7 Monitoring
Emergency Dispatch
Non-Emergency Dispatch
Multilingual Staff

Contract & Price: How much does Medical Guardian cost?

Contract and Price - 4.8 / 5

Medical Guardian provides free activation for all their standard medical alert systems. Shipping is free when you sign up for a quarterly or longer contract.

Medical Guardian offers free equipment for two of its five products. Their services are equally affordable, with prices ranging from $29.95 to $49.95 a month. Its newest product, the MGMove smartwatch, has a purchase price of $199.95 and a service plan that costs $44.95. It offers enhanced features such as reminders and messaging. The lowest-cost option from Medical Guardian’s line of on-the-go and at-home medical alert devices includes a free neck pendant or wristband with a call button.
Medical Guardian does not require customers to make a long-term commitment. You can pay for service monthly. However, the company discounts its prices when you select the quarterly or annual payment option.

Starting Prices per Month

Landline
$29.95
Cellular
$34.95
Mobile/GPS
$39.95
Free Monitoring for Additional Person

Contract & Fees

Contract Required?
No
Minimum Contract Length
1 months
Activation/ Installation Fee
None
Equipment Fees
Varies by product.
Free Trial Period
None
Cancellation Policy
Medical Guardian will refund any prorated amount due based on the date the equipment was received, minus a $50 restocking fee as outlined in the Terms of Service.

Medical Guardian Reputation

Reputation and Certifications - 5 / 5

Medical Guardian devices have won numerous consumer honors. Medical Guardian is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating with the organization. That rating is at odds, however, with the poor rating awarded by customers who review Medical Guardian on the BBB website: Just 1.1 out of 5 stars.

The company earns an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars from customers who review it on Google.

Trustpilot users aren't enthusiastic about Medical Guardian, however, and give the company a "bad" rating of 1.7 out of 5 stars. Medical Guardian does take the time to check and respond to consumer reviews.

Medical Guardian monitoring services are certified by Underwriters Laboratories, The Monitoring Association, and Factory Mutual.

Professional Certifications

  • Underwriter's Laboratory (UL)
  • The Monitoring Association (TMA/CSAA)
  • Factory Mutual (FM)
  • Department of Defense

Additional Ratings

TrustPilot Rating
11.0 out of 5
BBB Rating
A+
BBB Neutral Reviews
0
Date Collected
2023-06-27

Disclaimers


Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Headquarters Address
1818 Market Street Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Mailing Address
1818 Market Street Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Year Founded
2005

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609 Customer Comments & Reviews

Loading Reviews ...
Carolyn S
9/30/2019
I don’t know where all these “great” reviews are coming from because my experience with them has been hell on earth!! I returned the device the middle of July 2019, canceled the service and mailed my final payment. They CONTINUED to try to bill my Discover card TWICE after the cancellation and AFTER they received the device. I called and they even lied and said they never received it until I produced the tracking number. Then they said “oh yes, we did receive it.” The only reason it didn’t go through on my card was that Discover sent a new card with a new number since our card expiration was July. It’s September 30th and I’m continuing to be harassed by these people. I think I’d rather... Read More

Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Hello Carolyn, thank you for your review. We have reviewed your case and we have credited off the balance and the account has been cancelled. No money is due. No further action is required on your part. If there are any further questions, please let us know. Thank you.

M
Mitzie Y
9/26/2019
Changed to Medical Guardian from Lifeline because Lifeline would not service once my mom had a pacemaker. Medical Guardian has been a total disappointment. She lives in a city within 50 miles of Atlanta; however, we've had constant issues with service they've blamed on inadequate 4G service. We have a call protocol in place; however, they go by what the person wearing the device tells them if a call is initiated. It doesn't seem to matter that person is 89 years old, is diabetic, has a heart condition and may be in the middle of an emergent situation. I've asked that call protocol be followed so that valuable response time isn't lost if she (my 89 year old mom who is in the middle of... Read More

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Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Hello Mitzie, thank you for your review. We take your feedback very seriously. We have talked discussed this situation with our monitoring center. We have decided to allow for an exception to our general protocol to accommodate for this situation. Essentially, if she presses her button we will dispatch help regardless if your mother states that she is okay. We would like to warn you that you cannot test the device like normal. Once you press the button, we will have to dispatch per your request. The general protocol is to call the base station and if there is no answer, we will call the primary home phone on the account. If no answer, we will dispatch emergency services. We can assure you we do find your concerns important. If you'd like to change the protocol on your account, we would be happy to do that for you. Thank you for choosing Medical Guardian!

Roberta H
8/11/2019
We tried multiple times to reach the activation phone per your instructions with NO success, on multiple occasions, including yesterday 8/10/19. Each time we were on hold for at least 10 minutes and yesterday got an answering service who said someone would call in 30 minutes. Next day- no return call! This is no way to run a 24/7 service! We are planning to return the devices and cancel service through Medical Guardian! Exceptionally poor follow through after speedy initial sale! Boston customer 8/11/19


K
ken
8/8/2019
Trying to get get in touch with someone on the phone line is a terrible! Moms necklet is not working and was/are trying to see about getting a new one and was on hold for 30 mins only to have someone tell me that they would have someone call me back in 30 mins. t's now been 8 hours. But when I when online like I was a new customer I got a call back in 1 min.

M
Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Good morning Ken, could you provide us an account number, your name, and your best contact phone number? We want to reach out to resolve your issue ASAP. Thank you!

J
jechristensen
7/22/2019
I have medical guardian. The few times I have used it, they show up right away.


J
Janet M
7/10/2019
Only negative, in our situation, is having to charge the pendant- my elderly sister tends to forget. Have been waiting nearly a month for an updated base charger and was told 3 times it would be sent fedex overnight. Still waiting for it. Customer service is great on the phone and have assured me the problem (address showing STREET instead of WAY 😡) will be corrected and MA would give us a one month credit on the bill. Love the emergency service but not happy with customer service.


N
Nancy S
5/5/2019
For some reason, I have had several false alarms. I have either bumped into the button or hit it accidentally to set it off! Right away I am contacted to see if I have an emergency! The EMT’s showed up one day when I didn’t hear the call! These folks are right on and very nice to work with!

M
Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Thank you for the review, Nancy. We're happy that you're a satisfied customer!

georgenchris
2/18/2019
I am contemplating a medical alert system for my parents and thought Medical Guardian might be our choice based on reviews. However, I found the salesperson I spoke to was too aggressive and needs to be more sensitive when speaking to family members who are beginning the process. She only spoke about the most expensive GPS plan and when I asked to receive all the info she told me in writing (either brochure or plan outlining all she said) to review with my dad she seemed to scoff at the idea and said the company has been “green” for years. I’m all for green but sometimes people need to visually see their options, especially my dad who cannot hear well (she wanted to conference call him... Read More


R
Roy B
1/26/2019
Do not know how good the service is as did not use the first year and then got surprised by the renewal rate of $603 for the second year including taxes. $50 a month seems excessive. When called to cancel the service was put on hold for 20 minutes and then hung up and called back a second time. In order to cancel the service , you have to return all their equipment at your cost. Unless you are alone with tendencies to fall, I feel that a cell phone and 911 will work just as well if not better at no additional cost if you own a cell phone. On a Apple phone you do not even have to unlock the phone as on the bottom left of the screen is the word emergency. Just hit that.

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Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Roy, thank you for reaching out. We're sorry that your experience in canceling out your account did not go as smoothly as you wanted it to. If you need any additional assistance in this process, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at social@medialguardian.com. If you could provide us with the device user's full name, address, and phone number, this will help us in locating the account in question. Thanks again for reaching out!

Sheila B
12/20/2018
I got the watch about a month ago. Due to the area I live in(The Villages, Fl) my watch does not always get a signal. This leaves me without coverage for help if needed. Be susre that you have good coverage before choosing this dvice.

Medical G  
Official Response

Employee of Medical Guardian Medical Alerts
Thank you for reaching out regarding your device. Unfortunately, signal issues may prevent certain users from appropriately using our devices. We see that you spoke with our Customer Care team about this issue. Please do not hesitate to reach back out to our Customer Care team if you need additional help with this situation or if you wish to cancel your account. Have a great day!


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