IntroductionMy Health Record is a private place to keep track of your medical journey over time, from the family medical history you can never quite remember to vaccination records and everything in between. It’s also designed to help loved ones take care of you by providing them up-to-date information about your past and present medical history when you are recovering from an injury, illness, or procedure.
Fill out the My Medical Profile section with contact information for all your providers, details about your insurance plan(s), and usernames and passwords for your online health-care accounts. This is where you will record your immunization dates so you know exactly when it’s time to get a tetanus booster or which vaccination you’re missing for a trip abroad. You will also log your current and past medications and your reactions to them and keep the all-important medical and mental health history of your immediate and extended family so they’re available when visiting a new doctor. Pro tip: Use a pencil for this section so you can make changes to your profile as necessary.
For your next appointment, bring
My Health Record to detail information about Doctor Visits, whether they are routine, emergency, or specialist referrals. This avoids having to dig in your files or call the receptionist for blood work, imaging results, and/or treatments or prescriptions, because your provider(s)’ order will be easily accessible.
When recovering, it’s important to keep notes—especially for your caregivers! In Procedures and Follow-ups, you will record the type and date of procedure, log all prescribed medications, list any food or activity restrictions, and take notes on your progress and recovery.
And finally, in the Resources you’ll find data grids for logging blood pressure and blank grids for data points that are specific to you, such as blood sugar, fluid intake, and anything else you need help tracking. There is also space for listing useful websites and tracking medical professionals and their expertise, including nurses and specialists. Lastly, there is a glossary of terms commonly used in the medical field.
A note from the publisher: The information and advice presented in
My Health Record is not meant to be a substitute for the advice of your primary care physician or other health-care professionals. If you have concerns about your or a loved one’s health and well-being, consult trained and licensed health-care professionals.
Copyright © 2021 by Potter Gift. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
