Maintaining a Personal Medical Records File

It is an irrefutable fact that large volumes of paperwork will be involved when you or one of your family members is undergoing the diagnostic process or receiving treatment for mesothelioma. The healthcare professional or the facility providing treatment will maintain its own records, but it is still essential that you keep an up to date and accurate medical history on your own.

It is possible that you will receive care and treatment from several different doctors, most likely at varied locations, with each doctor coming up with a number of test results, treatment reports, medication plans and procedures, etc. When you organize and consolidate this information in a single file, you will have ready access to everything you need in case questions arise or if certain reports are accidentally lost or destroyed. You will be able to go through your medical records at your own preferred time and make a note of any queries or concerns you may have. In this manner, you will get actively involved in your healthcare, be more aware, and have a sense of control over your situation. Maintaining a personal medical file will also enable you to manage your taxes, insurance claims and other legal requirements more effectively.

Below are certain essentials that your personal medical record file should have:

• Information pertaining to your past medical history, with accurate dates and details of any illness that might have been diagnosed in the past such as heart diseases or diabetes.
• Immunization records.
• Details about any physical examination and screening tests conducted in the past.
• Contact details of all healthcare professionals, clinics and/or hospitals that may be engaged in your diagnosis, treatment or care.
• Details of when the initial diagnosis was made and the prescribed treatment schedule.
• Photocopies or duplicates of diagnostic tests and reports such as pathology reports, laboratory results and imaging tests (x-ray, CT, PET, MRI).
• Data on treatment administered including surgical reports, details of drugs prescribed for chemotherapy, and dosage for radiation therapy along with sites where it was administered.
• Details about any side effects or complications experienced after the treatment.
• Details about supportive care programs such as nutritional support or pain management. Information about all medications including prescribed drugs and those purchased over the counter should be listed by their respective names and frequency of dosage.

In case you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important that you gather information for your personal records file when you have an appointment, laboratory test or procedure. Each time you visit your doctor check if there are any new files that need to be added to your personal medical records file. Request for a copy in case there are any new test results or procedure reports. In case you undergo hospitalization, request a full copy of your hospitalization records after you have been released. Maintain copies of insurance claims and medical bills as well.

How one manages and maintains his or her medical history will differ from person to person. Some people choose to have a filing cabinet whereas others prefer a binder, folder or box. Moreover, some keep scanned copies of documents on their computers. Records can be managed in a chronological order or can be categorized into different sections such as appointments, tests or treatments.

Irrespective of the method you choose for organizing your file, just make sure that it is stored safely. It is advisable to leave an extra copy with one of your relatives or close friends for handling emergency situations.

All patients are assured access to their medical records according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 2003. Hence, if due to certain reasons you were not able to maintain personal records from the time you were first diagnosed or started receiving treatment, you can still obtain the same. In such cases, you may be required to place a request for your records in writing and fill out an "Authorization to Release Medical Information" form. However, requesting records in such a manner can take time and you may have to pay copying charges.