With flooding already hitting parts of Texas, now’s the time to remind patients to get copies of their vital personal medical information, in case of an emergency or natural disaster later.
This disaster prep flyer from the Texas Medical Association can help you do just that as Texas enters peak hurricane season.
The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30, with the typical peak occurring in September. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, with as many as 21 named storms likely, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes.
“It is wise for every person – child or adult – to have their own medical information, including a current list of any medications they are taking,” TMA President Gary W. Floyd, MD, said. “Such information can be very helpful, if not critical, if the patient is displaced due to a natural disaster or public health emergency situation.”
Complicating matters, natural disasters have destroyed physician practices too, so even patients who were not displaced could not access their medical information.
Use TMA’s flyer to encourage patients to log in to your practice’s online patient portal to download and save or print their medical records summary. The flyer is customizable to include your practice portal’s web address.
Patients are urged to compile and save current information on their:
- Medications;
- Allergies;
- Recent diagnoses and treatments; and
- Primary physician contact.
Dr. Floyd says it’s also important for patients to have handy an updated vaccination record with dates.
Unfortunately, Texas physicians and patients understand all too well the burdens of evacuation and displacement for an extended time having experienced hurricanes like Harvey, Rita, and Katrina.
“You never know when you might need this vital information, so we recommend acting now to have it on hand before an emergency arises,” Dr. Floyd cautioned.