For many people, the prospect of gathering the various pieces of medical history and information is enough to send us looking for an oven to scrub or gutters to clean out. The task of assembling all this information into one location, and keeping it updated as things change, seems both cumbersome and overwhelming. However, carving out the time to tackle this project can yield major benefits, especially in an emergency situation.
In today’s age of electronic medical records, it may not seem as important to have hard copies of your medical information. It’s easy for doctor offices and hospitals to share information and transfer files. But in an emergency, having records ready to go can be very helpful for the healthcare providers. In fact, researchers at Johns Hopkins found that senior cardiac patients who kept personal health records enjoyed better health.
Here are a few tips on how to organize your medical information, what to include and how to organize it. If you undertake one portion of this list at a time, it can seem less overwhelming and you will be more likely to complete it.
- Write down all your doctors, why you see them (ie: chronic pain, general care, headaches, etc) and how often you have an appointment. If you visit with a specific doctor multiple times a year for ongoing treatment or evaluation, you should note this frequency and try to add notes about any treatment or medication changes.
- Make a list of all the medication you take, the dosage, the prescribing doctor (include their contact info if you can) and the pharmacy where you have the medication filled. If you have any particular side effects from these medications (or from any treatment you are receiving), be sure to include those notes as well so medical personnel will know how to better treat you. This is especially important if you suffer from any chronic conditions.
- Many doctor and hospital systems now give you a summary of your visit at the end of each appointment that will detail what was discussed, any action taken or future appointments or treatments scheduled. You should keep copies of this paperwork and organize it by doctor. If your doctor does not offer this summary, don’t hesitate to ask. These notes can provide comprehensive insight into your medical history and may prove useful down the road.
- In addition to receiving discharge papers following a standard appointment, ask each of your doctors to provide you copies of your full medical history with them. Some providers have online systems that allow you to access your medical records this way, which is convenient and much faster than if you have to wait for the medical team to pull and copy your information.
- Keep multiple copies of all your records and information. One in your car, one at home and one with a loved one or trusted neighbor or friend ensures someone will have access to this information if you unexpectedly end up in the hospital due to an accident or unforeseen circumstances. Be sure to inform your spouse, adult children or others who may be contacted in an emergency where these files are kept so they can quickly retrieve them.
- Include an overview of your family medical history, especially your parents, grandparents and siblings.
- Be sure to include copies of your insurance and pharmacy cards as they are related to medical treatment. Other important documents to include are any legal forms like medical power of attorney, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders and a living will.
- 8.Perhaps most importantly, make sure the information is organized and labeled well. All of this information dumped in one large paper pile won’t do much good in an emergency when time is of the essence. Purchase a three-ring binder or folder with dividers so you can keep the various categories of information separate and easily identifiable
- Mark your calendar with a date once a year to go through all this medical information and update it as needed. Be sure to remove any medication you no longer take or treatments that have changed or stopped. Once you have all the information gathered, it will be easy to keep it current.
-
If you or a loved one is a resident at an Evergreen Senior Living community, please let us know if we can be of any assistance in helping you gather and organize your medical history.
