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12 Tips to Help You Track Your Healthcare Information
We all know that our healthcare providers keep medical records and document the outcome of our visits. We also know that we often seek the advice of specialist physicians for a particular healthcare problem. Therefore, our medical information is often spread among several doctors and each physician may only have a piece of our healthcare picture. Although healthcare providers attempt to keep comprehensive records and try to communicate effectively with each other, we, as pro-active healthcare consumers, are in a key position to keep track of our own healthcare information.

As we begin to accumulate information from both our doctors and our insurance companies, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by a huge pile of papers. Here are 12 tips to help organize your healthcare information into a handy tool that you can use to track progress and communicate with all the participants in your healthcare.

1. Keep a simple three ring binder dedicated to holding all your healthcare related information in one place. Utilizing tabs or labels, create sections that are relevant to you and your healthcare.

2. In each section, keep documents in chronological order allowing you to easily access the most recent information.

3. Include a section that lists all of your medical conditions, when they were diagnosed and the treatment plan for each. This section is a great place to start when you are preparing for a visit with your primary care doctor.

4. Include a section that lists all of your medications including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and supplements. Include the date you started the medication, the dosage and how often you take the medication. Also make a note of refills available. This section will help you review your list of medications with your physician and alert you to the need for a new prescription.

5. Make a section that documents immunizations and when you received them.

6. Include a section with notes from previous visits with your doctors. These notes may have been taken by the family member or friend you brought with you to your healthcare appointment to help you remember the outcome of your discussion with your doctor. Review these notes before you go for your next visit.

7. Include a section for completed diagnostic tests and the results of those tests. When you receive information from your doctor about tests you had, ask for a copy of the result. Although your doctor will interpret the results for you, it is helpful for you to have a copy to refer back to in case questions arise.

8. When having frequent tests such as blood work for diabetes or high cholesterol, make a chart that includes the name of the test, the date of the test and the result. This will allow you to easily review the trend of your results over time.

9. Include a section for visits to specialists and note the outcome of those visits. This section will help you communicate to your primary care physician when you see him/her next.

10. Include a section for writing down physical observations or changes in your healthcare status. This section will help you plan what you want to tell your doctor at your next visit. It will also help you to formulate your list of questions.

11. Include a section for questions you may want to ask during your next visit with your doctor. If you write them down as you think of them, you are more likely to have a complete list by the time you see your physician.

12. Include a section for insurance information. Include any bills you paid and any forms received that are not bills.

There are many methods to organizing your healthcare information. Find a method that works best for you. Being organized will help you to facilitate communication among all your healthcare providers and will lead to more productive and satisfying outcomes from your visits with your doctors.