ERs and diversion

Filed in archive Miscellany on October 26, 2005

With more ERs going on diversion, you may find yourself at a hospital without your medical records. Here are some tips for this situation:

Keep in mind that the stress of being in an unfamiliar environment can make even the most alert patient uncertain of medication doses and the important details of prior surgical procedures.

Shortly after arriving at the unknown hospital, call your doctor. If you can't call, ask a family member to call for you. Tell your doctor that you want him/her to be involved in your care. The emergency physician caring for you will appreciate the additional input.

Make a list of your medical problems and prior surgeries. Review this list with your doctor to make sure nothing important has been forgotten. Keep these documents in a place accessible to paramedics or caregivers.

Make a list of your medications and doses. Don't forget to list your allergies.

Keep a list of all of your doctor's contact information, including phone numbers. Don't hesitate to ask the emergency physician to call your doctor when appropriate.

Ask your doctor for a copy of your most up-to-date electrocardiogram (EKG) and keep it with you. Many important heart problems are based on changes in your EKG. Having a comparison could alert doctors that you're having a heart attack sooner than they'd discover otherwise.