How, and why to assemble a personal medical record book

How, and why to assemble a personal medical record book for everyone in the family

Generations ago, people tended to stay most or all of their lives in the same city, or at least in the same county. In today's mobile society, that's no longer the case. Your kids may be born in one state, but spend their childhood years in another, due to relocating for work or any number of other circumstances. By the time your kids are in high school, you may be in yet another region of the country, or have even moved overseas. With all of the changes that a move brings, it seldom occurs to us that the personal medical records of each member of the family may be spread out all over the world.

Although we live in an electronic age, our personal medical records don't follow us automatically with each move. Furthermore, acquiring copies of your medical records are now, by law, subject to a tangle of authorization and release forms that must be requested and verified before you can get your hands on your own medical history. Unfortunately, the current laws make it so difficult and time consuming to gather these records, few of us follow up and compile these important records.

There are many reasons you should make the effort to assemble a personal medical record book, also known as a personal health record. Let's take a look at just a few examples.

You were diligent in keeping up to date on your children's immunizations, but now you've moved to a new locale and you don't have those records in hand. In order to enter your kids in their new school, you must provide proof of immunization. Acquiring proof can be a lengthy process.

Someone in your family was treated with an antibiotic and suffered an allergic reaction. Do you remember the name of that antibiotic?

You were diagnosed with diabetes twenty years ago. Your physician performed lab tests and prescribed medicines, one of which caused an adverse reaction. While you may remember the name of that medication, your current physician, absent the notations of your previous physician, may not be able to give you the best available treatment.

You've lost your eye glasses and don't have the prescription for a replacement. While most opticians require a yearly exam to renew an eye glass prescription, if you lose the glasses within the first year, you'll be paying for a new exam in addition to the eye glasses.

It's easy to see that compiling your personal medical record is of great value in terms of getting the best, prompt health care.

Make this a project now. Send requests to every health care provider, covering as much of your medical history as possible. It will take some time, but once you have a complete personal medical record book compiled, you can rest easier in the event of an emergency.

Do you know your blood type? If not, get that information. Dental records can be important in presenting a full history to your current physician. Even an overnight hospitalization for observation, long ago, of a condition that, at the time, proved inconsequential, can provide valuable, life saving data to your physician today.

Make a checklist of inquiries sent off and received. It may take a few months to assemble a complete personal medical record, but once complete, you are assured that the data will provide all of the relevant health data required to get you the best possible treatment. All bases covered.

As you receive records, compile them. Electronic health records are easily stored in a directory on your PC or laptop. Paper records should be scanned and then stored in a paper file folder.

Your personal medical records are precious. Acquiring them can be tedious, but can also save your life.

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