Keeping track of your family’s medical records yourself is not a bad idea in this age of computer hacking and computer failure and doctors hiring records personnel based on how little they have to pay them. A family medical record book is that not hard to start and once you get going, you may even become consumed by it. Don’t invest in a fancy book; a simple spiral binder with folder compartments can do the job. You might also consider a backup copy kept on your computer.
Create a section in your medical records book for each member of the household. The spiral notebook allows you to add pages as they pop up. Begin the medical record keeping of your home notebook with the vital statistics at hand for each family member. This means keeping track of vaccinations and it is also a good place to keep birth certificate for easy access. This vital stats portion of your medical notebook should also include the blood type of each person in the house.
Medical records are as important for you as other documents like birth certificate, driving license, ration card, PAN card, etc. as it contains your entire history of medical issues which can give you certain benefits regarding government schemes and, like personal documents, form a core basis of your identity. Online medical business is the norm of the day and has proven to be quite successful to not only the makers but the patients as well as they can now have better facilities and only recently [google_bot_show][/google_bot_show]the medical practice held five focus groups with a variety of people where they were in talks to hold a press conference to discuss about the business at global level.
The key to producing a top notch home medical records book is consistency of updating the information. Keep a record of each doctor’s visit and include information such as what it was for, any kind of prescription you were given, how much you had to pay upfront and then how much you are billed when the bill arrives in the mail.
Create a special page for each person that details all the illnesses they have experienced. This way your kids will know for sure whether or not they contracted chicken pox when they become adults and nobody can remember whether they had the illness or not. The vaccination record also comes in handy in this department. A lot of the prescriptions you have been given should include a listing of any side effects that were experienced. The most important element to keep track of when keeping a list of prescription medications is signs of allergies. You want to know if a family member has experienced allergic symptoms to a certain kind of medication so that you will know to inquire about that the next time you receive a prescription.
As for allergies, a special page should be reserved. Take note of reactions to food, flowers, animals and anything else that could cause an allergic reaction. This detailed history may prove valuable in diagnosing everything from hives to headaches. Your allergy page should include the date and time that the symptoms were first noticed, what those symptoms were, how long they lasted and what, if anything, cured them.
Hospitalization calls for an intensive page in your family medical record book. Take note of the time you went to the hospital and how long it took to be waited on in the ER. Keep a detailed inventory of the illness, the length of stay, prescription medications and even things like how long it took for the nurse to respond to your call and how often the doctor came to check up on you. This information may prove valuable when you reach a critical decision to change doctors.
The home medical record book can become a vitally useful resource of information if you are diligent about maintaining records. Keeping track of billing and payments also comes in handy when you are notified that you did not pay for services you know you did. Needless to say, the home medical records book should include a section in which you keep each and every medical-related receipt.
