The additional information in the emergency room or in the hospital. To gather this information, ask the Primary Care physician and the facility where they were done. Keeping in mind that your physician and hospitals have policies before you can obtain them. So it may not be easy sometimes. Friendliness to the staff will go a long way. Make sure the name and dates done are on the same page.
1. 12 lead EKG. If you can have it on an 8.5 x 11 size paper, the better. That is because doctors look at the deflections in the waves of the EKG tracing to compare with the new EKG to see if there are changes that may point to a STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction). STEMI may need a clot-buster or immediate cardiac catheterization. Having a photo of your latest EKG for comparison may be priceless.
2. Echocardiogram report
3. Angiogram reports. Date, What vessels, and how many.
4. Previous Imaging like x rays and CT scan reports.
5. Implanted Medical Devices like Pacemakers and AICD (Automatic Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators) and pain pumps. It should state the brand like whether it is Medtronic, St Jude, etc. Usually, there is a card for those with the serial number and date implanted. If there is information that the pacemaker or AICD is MRI compatible, then that is a huge plus.
Some emergency room complaints like passing out or palpitations may need information from the pacemaker or AICD. These devices can be interrogated electronically and should be sent to the right company.
If the ER does not have that capability to send the information electronically, then they have to call a technician to come in. Listing the information together with the others in a sheet of paper is a great time-saving device.
6. Most recent blood work for comparison. If you have diabetes and you present with signs and symptoms of low blood sugar, then a journal of your blood sugar readings done at home is very helpful. If you do not have one, get one started. It is better to put it in a journal or a notebook; that way, it can reflect the short and long-term trends. It should have the date and times that the finger pricks blood sugar result was done.
7. Biopsy results of tumor/cancer.
8. Discharge Summaries and instructions from any recent admission to the hospital within a year.
9. Video of an Elderly Patient
This will be a recent short video of the elderly patient looking at the camera and talking. It can also be made for developmentally challenged patients. They may be walking on their own, with a cane or a walker. Their short line may say something like this, “Hi! I am Elsie, and I have ten grandchildren, and I love them all. I hope you have a great day.” That short.
The video and sound give a human side to the patient and establishes a baseline for the health provider on what was the patient like before the acute illness and set a potential therapeutic goal. Sometimes it may be hard to imagine an independent and ambulatory 90 year old behind that sick patient with pneumonia who presently cannot talk.
Keep the originals at home and just bring the copies for the staff to take.
Related Readings:
- The Complete Series of “How to Prepare for that Unplanned Emergency Room Visit”
- Part 1 talks about why preparation is needed for an emergency room visit
- Part 2 lists the most essential medical information to bring to the emergency room.
- Part 3 describes the other medical information that are also important.
- Part 4 enumerates the different ways to carry medical information
- Part 5 lists all the needed medical information in a shortlist that can be copied and pasted to a word processing app ready to be filled.
- Disease Prevention Has a Deadline
- The Two Minute Warning
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