Important Personal Medical Information

It's important to keep certain medical information readily available in case of emergencies. Ambulance crews will need this basic information to provide the best care for emergency victims.

Be sure to organize the information and make sure it is accessible at all times. Use a medical information form and include the following:

• Name
• Birthdate
• Medication and food allergies
• Prescription medications (include doses and schedules)
• Chronic conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc)
• Any reasons for hospitalizations (heart attacks, strokes, major surgeries, etc)
• Doctor's name
• Hospital preference
• Medical insurance information

One note of caution: Never put a social security number on this list. It's not important for responders and if the list is lost, there is already a birthdate and name on the page.

Keeping this information handy will speed up the emergency care. Here are ways to organize personal medical information to make it easier for responders.