Lifeline is perhaps the most recognizable name in the medical alert industry (formerly known as Philips Lifeline), behind only Life Alert. In 1972, gerontologist Andrew Dibner envisioned a personal emergency response system for older adults, and in 1974 The Dibners founded Lifeline Systems and expanded their business to hospitals and other healthcare organizations in the U.S. and Canada. Lifeline grew and went public in 1983 introducing advancements such as waterproof personal alert buttons and centralized Response Center operations. Technology progressed again, and in 2010, Lifeline introduced automatic fall detection technology. Connect America acquired Lifeline in 2021, with Philips maintaining an equity stake, with the combined business offering an enhanced personal emergency response system portfolio.
In our evaluation of Lifeline's medical alert systems, we hoped for a more remarkable performance. While the company provides systems not commonly offered by others, which is commendable, the overall structure closely resembles other services, including landline, cellular, and mobile packages. However, the performance and pricing aren't sufficiently distinctive.
