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Tips for Organizing a Medical History
By Kathy Porter
A trip to the emergency room made me realize why
caregivers are advised to organize heath information.
Like many caregivers, I share the task of going with my
loved one to appointments. My sister usually takes our
mom to the dentist, audiologist and optometrist. I take
Mom to her physician, dermatologist and podiatrist. We
cover for each other when work or travel demands it. I
felt prepared until an emergency came.
When Mom broke her hip, I called an ambulance. When it
arrived, I confidently recited Mom’s Medicare number.
When asked what medications she took, I pulled out our
basket of pill bottles. At the hospital, the questions
got more complicated. Still, I knew enough to fill out
the forms. Strangely, as I did the paperwork, I began to
feel sharp pain in my lower belly. I was nauseous and
feverish. I did not know it then, but I would be joining
Mom in the hospital the next day with an emergency of my
own – one requiring surgery and a six-day hospital stay.
I realized that my mom’s care was far too dependent on
facts held only in my head. As primary caregiver, I
managed the insurance, filled prescriptions and kept
doctors’ names and phone numbers in my
password-protected data organizer. I knew I should
organize Mom’s records, but I didn’t know how. As we
both recovered, I looked for an easy way to keep her
health information. I especially wanted an easy way to
share it with others in case I am not around.
I now have a folder for paperwork that is portable and
easy to maintain. It isn’t just for emergencies. We take
it to every doctor visit. Now anyone who has the folder
can see when Mom had her last flu shot, what medications
she takes and that she had a malignant mole removed in
1981. We can all see when all medical appointments are
scheduled. Even my brother, who lives at a distance,
could answer medical questions if he had to take Mom to
the doctor while visiting.
Information to collect
You probably have most of this information readily
available. If not, begin with what you have and add
information as you can. Useful information to collect
includes:
Health insurance cards, Medicare cards, and so on Appointment reminder cards from health care providers A list of medications including dosages, frequency, date
started and reason A medical history A list of emergency contacts, relationship, addresses
and all phone numbers A sheet for recording the date of visits, the provider
and any tests performed or instructions
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