Medical records

As you know I answer the phone in the missionary department once a week. I have been doing this for about twelve years. As a result I have some advice for my family. It may seem a little odd, but things are changing and we need to change with them. 

In the time that I practiced medicine it was the common practice to keep a record of each visit on paper in the patient’s chart. Hospital records were also on paper including all the x-ray and laboratory results. These were kept in the doctor's office and the hospital. The patient or the family had free access to the information. When the person moved they took copies or the original records with them. 

When I retired I sent letters to all my patients to come and pick up those records and left all the records for the new doctor. 

Since then the government has stepped in and instituted a law (HIPPA) that makes it very difficult for family members to get information. The next thing that happened was the institution of the electronic medical records. These records were required by some insurance companies.

The problem with these records is that they may be accessed by hackers or worse yet may disappear into cyberspace. 

Some electronic medical records are purged on a regular basis. I learned Tuesday that in the state of Utah medical records are only required to be saved for 7 years. Since we started the eMED program in the missionary department we keep the records for two years after the missionary goes home and then they are no longer easily available. 

At least two or three times a month I get calls from returned missionaries who are wanting to know what immunizations they received for their mission. They did not keep their own shot records. 

I received a call this week from someone who wanted to know what medical treatment and what doctor they saw 14 years ago. We didn't even keep those records in the missionary department at that time. 

Now with that prologue I will offer this suggestion. Keep your own records of shots with the dates. Document every time you have been seen by a doctor or been to the ER or urgent care or hospital. 

Keep a list of medications that you take, when you start and when you stop. 

Keep a hard copy and a digital copy in a safe place so that if you have a fire that you'll be able to retrieve the information. I keep all Alice’s visits to the doctor on my smart phone and I have medical data on the flash drive on my key chain.

If you have any x-rays or MRI or CAT scans then have them burn you a copy. If you can, make a copy of these for storage off site. 

The population is more mobile today and medical providers come and go.  You will never know when these records will be needed.  If you follow this advice you will be prepared.

Love,

Grandpa