Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have immediate access to you and your family’s medical history? No need to wait to hear back from a busy doctor’s office, and the information you need right away. Sound impossible? It isn’t. With a bit of motivation (hey, organized medical records could mean the difference between life and death), and some clever organization techniques from our Atlanta Professional Organizer, you could have all your necessary medical information available, at the tip of your fingers.
Read below to learn smart tips for organizing and managing you and your family’s medical records:
– Utilize a three-ring binder for each family member, categorized by tabs to properly file this important information
- Examples of tab categories are:
- Current medications
- Immunization records
- Allergy information
- Health history
- Test/lab results
– In addition to the above information, you may need to include items such as:
- Major health problems you’ve had in the past, such as pneumonia or broken bones
- A history of childbirth, if you’re a woman. This includes how many children you’ve had and any miscarriages, cesarean sections, etc.
- Your childhood and adulthood immunizations
- Any health screening results, such as those for blood pressure, cholesterol, vision, and hearing
- Any cancer screenings, such as Pap tests, mammograms, colonoscopy, and prostate tests
- Any surgeries or times you were in the hospital
- Medicines you’ve used in the past
– Include a calendar to record past and future medical appointments
– Create a section of your notebook just for receipts and other medical financial info; our Atlanta Professional Organizer shares how this can also be a money-savings tip as well
– A phone call log can also come in handy in your medical file
- Each time you contact anyone (doctor’s office, insurance company, etc.), write down the details: Date and time, name of the person(s) you spoke with, and what was discussed
– Consider creating a digital profile of your family’s health with My Family Health Portrait, an online portal for saving all of this valuable medical information
– Within your health file, include copies of your living will and power of attorney
– Although it’s important to keep files with your medical records, it’s also essential to carry some information with you at all times in case of a medical emergency, such as:
- A form of identification
- Who to call in an emergency situation
- Name and contact info of your primary care physician
- Your insurance card
- An organ donor card, if applicable
Even if you only have time to tackle one of the above tips at a time, according to our Atlanta Professional Organizer, you’ll already be in a better place than you were just a day ago. Not only can organized medical information save you time and money, it will also provide peace of mind, which can be a health benefit in itself!