|
Feature
Story |
|
Make sure that your personal medical
history and related information
are always readily available.
|
Being Prepared: Emergency
Information You Can Carry
Nearly one out of every three Americans
visits the emergency room each year. Sometimes
you might need to go to the ER for a minor
cut or burn. In these cases, you can easily
answer any questions that the doctors
may have about your medical history. But
if you are seriously hurt and can’t
speak for yourself, doctors need to access
important health information in order
to properly treat your condition.
By carrying emergency medical information
at all times, you can make sure that your
personal medical history and related information
are always readily available. Doing this
could even save your life.
Important Medical Information
You should complete the following medical
information forms in case you have to
go to the ER. These forms include vital
information that can be used to effectively
treat you or a loved one in an emergency.
The following forms should be completed
and continually updated with the most
current information.
| • |
Medical
consent to treat form. Anyone
who comes to the ER will always
receive life-saving care, but it's
important to authorize someone to
make medical decisions should you
be unable to do so because of illness
or injury. This form is especially
important for parents who keep their
children in daycare. By completing
this form, you designate a particular
person to make decisions about medical
care for you or a family member.
|
| • |
Medical contact information.
Keep the name and number of
someone the ER doctors can call
when you go to the hospital. |
| • |
Personal medical
history. Make a list that contains
information related to prescription
medications, medical problems or
previous surgeries, pertinent family
history and contact information
for people the doctors can call
in an emergency |
| • |
Medical identification
card. You should carry a medical
identification card in your wallet
or purse. The card should contain
your personal medical history (see
above), your health insurance information,
and the name and number of your
primary-care physician. If you have
a special health condition, like
epilepsy, consider wearing some
type of medical identification jewelry.
Emergency doctors are trained to
look for these forms of identification
before treating a patient. |
Knowing Your Loved One’s Medical
Information in Case of An Emergency
By writing down the medical information
of everyone in your family, you can be
sure that the ER doctors have the correct
information for treatment. Experts recommend
that you have the following information
up to date for each member of your family
in case of an emergency:
| • |
Allergies. Write down
the allergies of each member of
your family, including any adverse
reactions to penicillin or antibiotics.
Be sure to include any allergies
to food as well. Some people have
a latex allergy, which is important
to know if those treating you intend
to wear latex gloves. |
| • |
Medications.
Your medical record should also
include a list of any medications,
including their dosages, which you
and your family members take on
a regular basis. Some medications
react badly when they are taken
together, so the ER doctors need
this information before they give
you any other medications. |
| • |
Immunizations. Keeping
an up-to-date record of immunizations
can help ER doctors diagnose a problem
quickly, allowing them to rule out
certain diseases or conditions if
they know you have recently been
immunized against them. Include
your entire immunization history
from childhood to the present in
your record. |
| • |
Pre-existing
conditions. Note if you or anyone
in your family has asthma, diabetes
or heart disease. Having these conditions
can help determine what kind of
treatment you will receive in the
ER. |
| • |
Height and
weight. It’s also a good
idea to include the current height
and weight of every family member,
including yourself, in your record.
Although weight can change over
time, it is important to include
this since it may enable doctors
to more accurately calculate the
appropriate dosage of medication
needed. |
| • |
Blood type.
If you know your blood type,
it is helpful to include this in
the medical record. If you need
an emergency blood transfusion,
your doctors will use type O negative,
which is compatible with all blood
types. |
References
1. “Keep
Important Health Information on Hand,”
American College of Emergency Physicians
(ACEP), 2003.
2. “What
You Need to Know in an Emergency,”
Nemours Foundation, June 2001.
3. “Tips
for Creating an Emergency Health Information
Card,” American Red Cross, 2003.
Writer:
Gary Gilles
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, MD, MPH
Editors: Andrea King, Don Amerman
Date Written: 7/21/03
Date Last Revised: 8/4/03
Source of Material: Rockhill Communications,
14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004,
(610) 667-2040, http://www.rockhillcommunications.com
|
