In my scramble to get it removed ASAP, I bounced between tons of new specialists.
The specifics of my condition were uncommon, but the organizational issues it threw me up against are not.
And anyone can (understandably!)
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Just having the file available will almost always save everyone a ton of stress and uncertainty.
All of that information has potential value for informing and personalizing medical care.
The goal is to enable health care professionals to easily understand the most important information, she says.
A quick health history.
Include everything youre currently taking or recently stopped taking.
List medications, supplements, and any drugs or alcohol you use.
Give as much info as you could about the dose/amount you usually take and your usage frequency for each.
All of these substances can interact with other medications and procedures.
Info for all of your care providers.
Copies of vital documents.
Outside of basic health info, there are no hard-and-fast rules about what information is relevant.
When in doubt: Ask your doctor.
Knowing what your pulse rate was after a jog five years ago probably doesnt matter either.
Until recently, getting your hands on additional health records was often easier said than done.
Tracking down and requesting information often involved tons of confusion, red tape, and fees.
Every expert SELF spoke to stressed that gaps in your health file arent necessarily a problem.
Maybe at certain points in your life, you didnt have access to medical care.
Maybe you got care in another country, or in an informal context that didnt involve record keeping.
Maybe your records got lost.
Maybe youre an adoptee who doesnt know your biological familys history.
Just check that you make at least one backup in case something happens to the original.
Create additional sections for each condition or issue you may be dealing with.
End with a section containing vital identification and legal documents.
If you make a digital file, link to relevant pages or folders for each list entry.
Check in with them regularly to ensure that youre still on the same page.
And see to it that these people actually access it, Linton urges.
Dr. DesRoches recommends updating your file any time there is a notable change in your health or life circumstances.
Claggett suggests updating it once every six months even if youre relatively healthy.
Linton urges everyone to remember that they dont have to do this alone.
Your doctors and those close to you’re free to help you keep things current.
Try giving yourself a goal of 30 minutes per update to keep things feeling doable.
Gradually foster a habit of regularly updating your file until it becomes a reflex.
Remind yourself of the peace of mind youll enjoy once youre done, Suereth says.
