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
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