Maintain control of your health – Organize!

Some of us love to organize. We have the files, boxes, files in boxes and personal organizers. Some have chaos in our organization, but our chaos is organized.

Have you taken time to organize health information for you or your family?

Emergencies are difficult. Today's health can be divided into many physicians, hospitals, outpatient treatment, pharmacy and home care. If you call ambulance could get him to a hospital by an unknown life-threatening event.

Health emergencies can be easier, less chaotic and more you have organized your important health information easily accessible to emergency and health care providers.

At seize his Organizer Health, will not run for pill bottles, trying to remember the medicine or telephone number of physicians, while the team is pulling 911 questions you or you're the rhythm in the emergency room.

Here are tips for Organized Health …

Prioritize your information

Even if you do not have an Organizer (but after reading this I know I will!) … can give priority to their health information on paper and made available for emergencies. This will also help prevent errors in your care.

Always keep the originals. Bring a new copy each time you go to hospital. All that puts on your medical history to medical records will not be available next time admission to revise an emergency.

1st priority (NOW!)
Medical conditions (especially hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV)
Allergies (medicines, dyes and food)
Medications (and doses)
DNR Status
Medical Power of Attorney
Medical equipment in your body (IACD / defibrillator, pacemaker, insulin pump)
Immunizations (especially children)

2 Priority (in hospital)
The names of doctors who treat you (and phone number)
Internal Devices (mediports, broviacs, dialysis catheters)
Laboratories or recent test results (including Coumadin levels, leukocytes or platelets, or if you are in chemotherapy)
Blood type
Directed blood donors

3rd priority (in hospital)
Treatment plans
Information Insurance
Caregiver information
Homecare Information
Rehabilitation Services
Previous rehabilitation centers
Special needs (disabilities, out of town, religious, dietary, etc.)
Anything what your doctor / nursing staff should know

Get a Health Organizer

Do not worry about how to create an organizer. There are excellent in the market that have everything you need, including flash drives.

My favorites …

DocFolios
www.medfolios.com
includes forms of information medical appointments, tests, tests and procedures, insurance and medicine. You can customize your DocFolio additional health related information sections specific health status

Your Personal Health & Medical History
www.healthhistory.com
To individuals and the whole family. Includes forms of advance directives not to hospitalize, organ donation, and other legal forms.

Personal Health Mar'age Magazines
href = "http://www.marageinc.com" target = "_blank"> www.marageinc.com
A health journal staff and a daily caregiver. They also have 'myICEkey': a flash unit with your medical information that may lead. (I advise to print 1-2x year for the paper.) Never leave the flash drive with your doctor or hospital staff – you can not get it back!

Homemade Journal
A 3 ring binder (1 ½ – 2 inches), 8-10, splitters, owner of the business card, half page folders, notebook paper

You can create their own ways: personal information, contact information (caregivers, friends, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, home care, etc.), information medical and health, the timing (of information or treatment), Advanced Directives, medications and allergies, treatment information, visit notes medical, laboratory and testing, insurance information, home care / therapy information, resources, blank paper for notes.

Or download the forms from "Organizing caregiver" program created by the Central Massachusetts Family Caregiver Support, in: http://www.seniorconnection.org/pdf/caregivers_oranizer?English) organizer.pdf

You can never be 100% prepared for an emergency. Having the right information for emergency response providers can ensure you do not miss important information. It is the best way for you to communicate with health staff and staff making health decisions if they can not tell us important information.

Copyright 2007. All rights reserved Friedman Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, LLC. No copies or portions of this article can be reproduced without permission from Friedman Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, LLC.

About the Author:

Audrey Friedman is the founder and owner of Friedman Medical Legal Consulting, LLC. She brings over 21 years experience in nursing in the areas of oncology/bone marrow transplant and critical care. Her favorite projects have been as a nurse navigator for cancer patients, a staff nurse educator and talking to community groups or writing about health issues and integrated medicine. She is a member of the National Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, co-chair of the Nurses Council for the Denver chapter of Hadassah and is on the Advisory Board of the Andre Center which helps women and men navigate breast cancer diagnosis and treatment here in Denver.
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She is now a legal nurse consultant and focuses on helping attorneys, insurance firms and the community navigate the health and medical world. She helps her clients find resources, research medical questions, review records, prepare for litigation and understand medical issues and questions.
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She believes that it is ultimately the responsibility of both the consumer as well as the healthcare community to work together for our health. It is vital that the consumer realize that being organized, responsible and self-determinant in their own health decisions is vital to the success of the quality of their health and health care.
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For further information: www.FriedmanMedicalLegal.com

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