Health & Body > AdviceJune 02, 2010

Keep Medical Information Handy

I like to share a health related tip with everyone. It has come in very useful in a numbers of cases and my doctor thinks I'm brilliant for coming up with it. Type or write your name, your medications and dosage, along with any allergies you have on one side of a business card or similar sized card. On the other side, list your doctor and contact information in addition to your In Case of Emergency (ICE) contact information. Laminate the card and keep in your wallet.

This is useful if I have to go to a walk-in clinic and they need to know my medications. It also proved helpful when my partner had to go to emergency and they needed to know his medications. He wasn't able to tell them but since I had his wallet I was able to retrieve the card for the medics. I hope others find this tip as useful as I (and the ones I've done cards for) do.

By sooz from Toronto, ON

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By
07/19/2010

Thank you so much for posting that! I work in a small town hospital, and even though I love all of our patients, it is so dangerous to assume that 'you already have that on file', or to say 'my doctor knows all of that'. Please keep in mind that your doctor does NOT know your medications or allergies when he is at his house, and that information is not always 'on file', or readily available when you come to the ER after regular business hours!
Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to print it out, and give to all of the patients we see!

By
06/06/2010

This is so brilliant, wish I'd thought of it!

By
06/04/2010

This is brilliant! I don't take any meds unless I get sick (knock on wood I'm 69) but am allergic to two medications. I'm going to make this card. Thanks ooz for the tip.

By
06/03/2010

My Dr.'s office gave me a sheet that folds up and you keep in a plastic envelope. I made one mistake though, I should have used pencil to print my meds because when it changes you can then just pencil the correct one in without all the messiness if you used ball point pen. Or if you can get a form to fill out, make several copies, then when your prescriptions change, you can just use a new sheet.

By
06/03/2010

Sooz, your idea is great. I have been using Print Shop and the label section to print out several copies to a page. We keep a couple in my purse and a couple in DH wallet. He keeps a copy of mine and I keep a copy of his, plus we hand a copy to the nurse at our appointments. They so appreciate it as it saves them time. It is easy to revise the Med/drug allergy lists and we can email them to our daughter so she has the information lists. Also we have the lists available from years past. Great minds think alike. LOL GG Vi

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(Archived Jun 02, 2010)Keep Medical Information In Your Wallet

Tip: Keep Medical Information In Your Wallet

Keep a list of surgeries and the current medications (even aspirin) and put this list in your wallet. Update it when needed, and you'll make the doctors job much easier and more accurate for the doctor. Don't even leave out vitamins you're taking.

By Ardis

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Medical and Insurance Related Information

I keep my insurance related cards in an envelope in my purse along with an index card with all vital info on me: name, address, phone number, doctor's name and number, family emergency numbers, list of my medical problems, and list of current medications taken daily and prescriptions (taken as needed), and hospital preference. This has come in handy in emergencies and when at a new doctors office when I have had to fill out initial information sheet. (06/14/2005)

By knitter in Illinois

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