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HEALTH MINUTE – Having information at the ready.

Mujka
Health
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As a nurse, I have had varied experiences in gathering medical history from patients and families. I found that those who kept an organized personal health record had better satisfaction with their healthcare appointments and experiences—perhaps because healthcare providers are supplied with a more complete health picture. In an emergency, having records at the ready can also be helpful for health care providers to treat the patient more effectively.

The task of accessing, maintaining, and organizing health history information can seem so overwhelming. However, just think of the positive side, getting the upper hand on records and organizing key health information for you and your loved ones can give you a better experience when needing medical care

For example, if you are at a big family thanksgiving dinner and “Big Mama” is experiencing what could be a heart attack or stroke, getting her more proper care depends on health care providers having the most up to date information and having it quickly. Not having basic information such as allergies, any medications she is taking, what her chronic health conditions are could significantly delay her care. The longer it takes for health care providers to find out which medications are being taken and any chronic diseases she might have, the longer it takes to decide and give medication or treatment that is best for the situation.

If you or a loved one has a chronic condition, prepare for routine appointments by keeping a log of recent relevant factors like blood pressure and blood sugar. If you can, include the time of day so that your doctor can help figure out whether changes in your health are related to the condition, medications, changes in nutrition, activity, or stress levels. Other valuable information to have organized in the home medical record is:

  1. Insurance and Power of Attorney/living will, Emergency contact, Advance Directive information in case you are in a situation where you are unable to speak for yourself.

  2. Allergies to food, medications, or treatments. Be specific with the name of the substance, the dose, and what happened. This record will come in handy when trying to determine adverse effects of treatments down the line.

  3. Family health history of parents and grandparents if possible. (Cancer, heart disease, ect.)

  4. Personal health history of diseases including surgeries, accidents, & hospitalizations.

  5. List medication/vitamins. Include names, doses and how often you take them.

    Clinics, hospitals, and insurance plans may offer online records that you can access. If you use any online tools, be sure to record the log-in and password information and share it with a backup contact or healthcare representative in case you are in a situation where you are not able to speak for yourself. Whether you use online record keeping, 3-ring binder or file folder, you may consider having another copy of your record with your emergency contact. If you can keep some type of record in your car or purse/wallet, it will increase your chances that you will have it when you go to the doctor or if you unexpectedly end up in the hospital.

  • Mujka