Pro Tip: To learn about all things related to medical alert systems, check out my comprehensive guide to medical alerts.
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For a landline-based medical alert system, the Rescue Alert MXD is a triumph of simplicity and great hardware. The device is fast with an impressive communication range, and its internal diagnostics reading takes the guesswork out of maintenance. The help buttons are so lightweight they’re barely there, which makes them ideal for all-day wear.
I’ll look at Rescue Alert as a company, break down both the positives and negatives of the MXD in-home system, go in-depth on device setup and use, and compare the unit to others on the market.
Pro Tip: To learn about all things related to medical alert systems, check out my comprehensive guide to medical alerts.
Before I go more in depth on the inner workings of the MXD, let’s look at some of the company’s pros and cons.
Rescue Alert offers two medical alert systems — one for use in the home and the other for mobile use. Here is a closer look at each:
Two-Way Talk | Yes |
Connectivity | Landline or cellular |
Average Response Time | 31 seconds |
In-Home Range | 600 feet |
Fall Detection | $10 per month |
Caregiver Portal | Not available |
In the box for my MXD system, I found:
Setting up the system was about as simple as it gets for medical alert systems. The first step was plugging in the phone cable to the back of the device and the wall. Next, I plugged the power cord into the base unit and a wall outlet. Once the device was plugged in, it sprang to action and announced that the system was ready.
The manual instructed me to place a test call, so I pressed the help button and the unit activated. I spoke to a friendly operator and informed them I was testing the unit. I then performed a distance test, stepping as far away from the device as I could to see how well the two-way communication worked. I found that the two-way communication was clear from the next room — about 20 feet away — but beyond that it was unclear to the operator.
One of the things I like most about the MXD is how low maintenance it is. Many comparable medical alert systems require upkeep — usually a monthly checkup in which you have to perform a test call to ensure the system is functioning properly. Rescue Alert’s devices have internal mechanisms to perform self-diagnostics on the telephone connection, base-unit battery, and help button battery. If the monitoring center reports an ongoing issue with the system, it can contact the customer to resolve issues or send replacement devices or a technician to repair the hardware.
The MXD’s strength is that it was there when I needed it most. I was paying for peace of mind and reliability. When I pressed the emergency call button as a test, the monitoring center team members were friendly and the response time was lightning fast. After activating the help button, I was in touch with the response center in a matter of seconds. They were able to assess my situation and determine whether I needed emergency personnel called. Overall, the device performed admirably with clear two-way communication.
Rescue Alert allows you to either rent or purchase its equipment. I chose to rent my MXD system, which cost $32.95 per month. The price could have been lowered to $27.95 per month if I paid on a yearly basis instead of monthly. I also could have purchased my equipment for $199 and paid only $15.95 per month for monitoring.
Rescue Alert even allows you to buck contracts altogether. For $849, I could have purchased my MXD system and received free monitoring.
In addition to the MXD unit and everything included in the basic package, Rescue Alert offers fall-detection pendants, wall buttons, and additional help buttons for added costs.
For more information on Rescue Alert’s systems and their costs, take a look at the Rescue Alert pricing page.
Rescue Alert provides the kind of 24/7 dispatch support you need from a medical alert system. With multiple plan options, there are price points for any type of customer commitment level. Additional products were easy to purchase, and they made it possible to customize the system as I needed. When all was said and done, the Rescue Alert MXD was the standard I’d expect from an industry innovator and a perfect device for a little extra peace of mind in the home.
Rescue Alert’s headquarters and fully redundant call center are both based in Utah.
The personal help button cannot perform fall detection. For fall detection, you’ll have to order the myActive Alert button, which is a separate pendant equipped with fall detection. You can buy this button only by calling the company directly, as opposed to buying it from the website.
Some companies charge monthly for a lockbox, but Rescue Alert offers them for a one-time payment.