Every patient should keep their own medical binder—that way all of their medical information, from test results to drug names, is all in one spot and right at your fingertips so that you don’t have to go digging for it when they require treatment.
But the reality is that a majority of patients rarely do so.
For patients who don’t have a personal healthcare binder or are no longer in a position to keep one themselves, caregivers and medical professionals should create one to better serve patients.
Creating a well organized medical binder to house patient information isn’t just recommended—in some situations it’s required by the government and regulated by HIPAA guidelines.
How to Start Your Medical Binder
To begin, below is a list of what’s needed to get started assembling and organizing your medical binders:
- Heavy-duty 3-ring binders (at least 1.5 inches)
- Index tab dividers
- Loose leaf paper
- Business card pages
- 3-hole calendar
- Sticky note tabs
- Plastic folder sleeves and sheet protectors (to store prescriptions or small notes)
Sections To Include in Your Medical Binder
Be sure to include each of the following sections for each one of your patients:
Appointments
Log all current and future appointment dates, and information showing how often certain appointments or tests should occur.
Test results/pathology
This section houses results for MRIs, CTs, and pathology reports. If your patient is dealing with different doctors, you’ll be able to share these results among them, saving time for the patient and your staff.
Insurance
Keep all insurance correspondence here, including denial of claims, appeal letters, explanations of benefits, etc.
Articles and Research
Any helpful information that you come across on the internet or other sources goes here. Also, post-surgical instructions, information about aftercare, or any other handouts can go in this section.
Medications
Any and all medications, including vitamins and supplements, should be listed here. Include dates of when past medications were taken and how often current medications need to be taken, dosage, any side effects, etc.. It’s also very important to note any allergic reactions the patient may have to certain medications.
Medical History
The patient’s medical history, as well as any notable diseases of their family members, should be noted here.
As important a resource as this medical binder will be, the quality of the binder used to hold it all together is just as important. At Binders Inc., we stand by our promise to provide high quality binders and supplies. Contact us today to start your order or speak with a binder specialist.