horizons

Once upon a time, it may have been common to have a single doctor for most of your life. The doctor would have known you, and your health history, inside and out. Nowadays, it’s common to go to many different doctors—when your insurance changes, when you move or when you see a specialist. So it’s important for you to take charge of your medical records. That way, your health history can follow you from doctor to doctor. Here’s how to get organized.

Know why it matters.

Yes, you fill out those medical history forms at doctor’s appointments, and the doctor should have a record of tests ordered and results. But say you go to a specialist who’s not in the same health care system as your main provider. Or you go to a walk-in clinic. They probably don’t have immediate access to your records. Not to mention, doctors are slammed for time. You need to be the one with an accurate, up-to-date picture of your health. That means having all your records in one accessible place so you can help the doctor help you at each appointment.

Ask for copies of your health information.

Under the HIPAA rule (from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), most doctors, hospitals and labs must give you the records within 30 days. Specify that you want test results, notes from doctors’ exams and discharge summaries. If you’re part of an online patient portal through your doctor, some of this info will be there, but may be limited. Once you have everything, read it to make sure there are no errors or surprises. Organize and store the information in a three-ring binder for every family member and, if possible, save electronic copies that you can access from your phone or tablet.

Have this info on hand.

It’s a no-brainer to carry your insurance card at all times, but you should also have in-case-of-emergency info on your phone or typed on a card tucked into a wallet or tote, where EMTs will search. Include a list of allergies, medical conditions (asthma or diabetes, for example), surgeries, blood type, any medications (supplements count) and primary care doctor contact information. For children, add immunization history (including tetanus), height and weight. Senior citizens also need to indicate how to access their most recent electrocardiogram (so doctors know baseline function).

As previously posted on Better Homes & Gardens.com