Managing Your Family’s Health Records

family health

Family Health Records are important to document and keep in an accessible location should any emergencies arise. Knowing that mom is allergic to certain medications or dad has a heart murmur could be a life determining factor in severe situations. Having an emergency game plan that all family members are aware of is critical should something go awry.

The first step to documenting everyone’s health records is to sit down as a family and write or type each member’s ailments, surgeries, and other medical situations. Including dates of birth and blood types is helpful as well. Allergies, past surgeries, and family history of each side of the family is useful information to incorporate too. Remember any time that a new surgery is had to add it to the book.

Once everything is documented for each individual, choose a location for the file to be stored. It might also be good to make several copies of the file and include one in each of the family vehicles and in secondary locations. Maybe a neighbor or relative could keep a copy in case they are the emergency contact.

Each family is different and does things in different ways. Creating and maintaining family health records is no exception to this. If a digital file is preferable for you and your family, then go that route. If a one-sheeter is the most appealing option for you, then construct something like that. You have to determine what works best for you and your family. As long as dates of birth, medical histories, allergies, surgeries, and medications are included, all of the bases are covered.