If you are a person with a serious medical condition, or have a family member with one, it is imperative to organize all your medical records. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to purchase a large 3-ring binder containing dividers with pockets, and purchase a hole puncher that will punch 3 holes at a time.
Start, by labeling each section; i.e.: medications, lab reports, x-rays and scans, Doctors (one section for each Doctor that you have), and miscellaneous. Each time you have any appointment for anything, ask for a copy of the report, and place it in the proper section in your binder. Keep everything in chronological order, by date.
A very important step is to make a list of all medications. An easy way to do this is on a computer using whatever word processing program you have. List name of each medication, the strength, when to take, and name of prescribing Doctor; include any over the counter medications and vitamins you take. Save the list on your computer and update it whenever medications are added or changed. Keep a copy in the binder and always print a copy to take with you to all Doctor Appointments.
Always take notes when at an appointment and put in proper binder section. This is much easier than trying to remember everything that was discussed.
Get a small day planner to keep track of all appointments and take it with you to all appointments. That way, you will avoid conflicting appointments and the need to reschedule.
You may also wish to take the binder with you to appointments, in case any questions come up about whom you have seen and the results of any tests.
Following these steps, will make it much easier to keep track of all information regarding your illness and care.
Comments (0):