Tag: time-saver

Medical Info Sheet

Donna Hutcherson

This is a time-saver!

Years ago when accompanying my mother to doctors’ appointments as her health advocate, I realized the inefficiency – and irritation – of having to repeatedly fill out all her medical info. At that point, using the customary requested info form as a starting point, I developed a template with all pertinent info that could be saved, changed and printed or sent digitally. Both of us used this from that time forward, and after Dale’s stroke, we had it evaluated by a nurse, an EMT and an EMT trainer.

Pictured below is the Medical Info Template I created. Under “Recommended Sites” in the sidebar on the right of the page, there is a link for Medical Info Template that you can download for yourself and others. As you consider adapting it for yourself, be sure to consider the following:

  • Date of most recent list update – REMEMBER TO CHANGE THIS AS YOU UPDATE!
  • Hospital preference/blood type are priorities for EMTs
  • Do NOT include your Social Security # or Medicare # (security reasons)
  • Medicines must state name of prescription, dosage and frequency
  • Family contacts should include everyone that can receive personal health info; health care surrogate is preferable to keep info distribution simplified
  • Print on colored paper so for easy ID for medical staff (the “blue sheet”)
  • SIGN ALL COPIES every time you print new ones – signature validates all info (note “POA” if person with Power of Attorney is signing & keep copy of legal POA document on hand)
  • Place a copy of each household member’s Med Info on your refrigerator and in glove box of car
  • Take a copy with you when you travel (along with legal documents – POA, living will, DNR)
  • When filling out forms at medical offices, you simply write “see Medical Info form” for anything lengthy – meds, surgeries/hospitalizations, doctors, etc.- and hand the Med Info form to the office. I usually asked them to keep my copy so it could be referenced by paper color.
  • If hospitalized, hand color copy to ER staff as well as nurses’ station if admitted