The Importance of Having a Medical History

   As a complex chronically ill patient, and as a healthcare professional, I have learned that providing doctors (or therapists) with a well organized and concise medical history can be an absolute game changer.  Figuring out what to include in that medical history and how to organize that information can be challenging though.  

   I've had over a decade to fine tune how I organize medical information and I thought I should share my methods in case it helps anyone else.  

Everyone (yes even healthy people!) should have a one page medical history that they carry with them and bring to each appointment.  If you are a complex or chronically ill patient this may be one page front and back.  It should include:

1. -A heading that includes your name, contact information, and your date of birth.
2. -General information like your age, sex, gender, marital status (if any of that is relevant).
3. -Contact information for your doctors, pharmacy, and emergency contacts.
4. -Medication list including the name, dose, frequency, and reason for taking it.  
5. -List of your diagnoses including when you received the diagnosis and who from.
6. -List of any major surgeries, hospitalizations, accidents, etc.
7. -List of allergies/intolerances including medications, environmental, and food.

I created a free medical history template that you can use here.  You can copy and paste it into whatever you use for word processing and edit it to reflect your history.  Check out some of my comments where I give additional explanations or tips.  

The benefit of having a medical history is that health care workers can get a good overall picture of your case in a quick and accessible manner.  (And they will love you forever for making their job easier!)

Here is a preview of what my medical history template looks like:

Do you have any tips?  Let me know in the comments!