How to Build a Communication Binder for Medical Emergencies
Posted in Senior Health Care Tips
Every second counts during a medical emergency, and ensuring doctors have quick access to relevant information ensures the patient receives the care they need and greatly reduces the chance of a bad situation getting worse.
In observation of September as National Preparedness Month, we will discuss a critical, but often overlooked piece of emergency equipment: the Emergency Communication Binder, which allows medical personnel to understand your medical status and provide care quickly, even if you are unable to communicate. 
Compiling an Emergency Communication Binder
The goal of an Emergency Communication Binder is to quickly provide first responders and doctors with as complete a picture of your health as possible so they can adapt care to meet your needs. To that end, every binder should include the following:
- Health History Form
A health history form works as an overall summary of your health status. You typically fill one of these out when visiting with a new doctor for the first time, and there are thousands of variations of this document available for free online.
When choosing a template, look for a document that outlines your allergies, health habits, medication you currently take and what, if any, chronic or ongoing medical conditions you have. This tool will help doctors diagnose your current condition and guide your treatment if you are unable to speak.
This is usually the most important document in a communication binder and should be kept at the top of the stack of documents.
- Physician Contact Information
First responders may have questions about your ongoing treatment best addressed to your primary care physician or specialists you see regularly.
Include a sheet of paper with contact information for all doctors you see regularly, allowing for faster communication and for your entire healthcare team to mobilize should you need help.
Keep in mind that many doctors, particularly those in larger hospital networks, might change numbers from time to time. Be sure to check this list twice a year to ensure this information is up to date.
- Preferred Hospital
You likely already have an existing relationship with a particular medical center or hospital, and receiving care at that location can make finding additional medical information easier, as well as simplify administrative tasks like verifying insurance coverage and billing.
Simply write your preferred medical center/hospital’s name and address on a sheet of paper and a statement that you wish to be brought to this location if possible, as well as your signature.
While first responders will make an effort to bring you to your preferred location, understand that they may bring you elsewhere if they decide your preferred facility is too far away for safe transport. This will largely depend on the type of medical emergency you are experiencing.
- Medication List
If your Health History Form does not list medication you currently take, then add a supplementary page listing medication you currently take, as well as dosages. Be sure to include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication and any supplements you may take.
Remember to include any medication you take regularly, not just prescription drugs. Some OTC medications and supplements can have negative interactions with common medication used in hospitals.
- Pharmacy Contact Information
Include the phone number, name, and location of your current pharmacy. This aids in communication, and once your condition has stabilized, can simplify receiving needed medication when you are discharged.
Redundancy isn’t a bad thing – include your pharmacy contact information on your physician contact sheet as well.
- Allergy Information
If your Health History Form does not include allergies, be sure to list them on a separate document. Be sure to include as much detail as possible, including medication, food and environmental allergies you may have.
- Advance Healthcare Directives
This group of documents is extremely important, as they will inform doctors about how you wish to be treated if you are unable to direct care yourself. These documents include things like a Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment and, if applicable, Do Not Resuscitate orders.
Read our blog on Advance Directives for a New York-specific list of documents you should maintain. After filling out these documents, be sure to share copies with your general practitioner and a trusted family member.
- Emergency Contact Information
Be sure to list at least two emergency contacts who you can trust to assist you during an emergency, like neighbors or family members. At least one of these people should live nearby to ensure your home is securely locked and can grab items like clothing, books and medication that you may need while under the care of the hospital.
Read our blogs on items to bring to the emergency room and items to improve hospital stays for more information.
- List of home occupants
In the event of a fire, carbon monoxide leak or other household emergency, getting every occupant out of a home is critical. List all current occupants of the home (including pets) to ensure emergency responders know who to look for.
To avoid confusion, consider including contact information for the other occupants of your home. This way, first responders can attempt to contact them by phone if they cannot be found in the home.
Make your binder accessible
With all these documents gathered, store them in a bright-colored folder and clearly mark the outside with a label reading “Emergency Medical Information” and store at least one folder in an easily visible location.
Many individuals like to mount a clear document holder to the back of their home’s main door to store this folder. Also consider making additional copies and keeping them in easily seen locations, like on a bedside table, near your phone, or other locations where medical personnel are likely to find you when responding to an emergency call.
Finally, be sure to include a copy of these documents in your Go-Bag. This way, you have all relevant information available should you need to evacuate your home due to an emergency event like a fire, dangerous weather, or a utility outage.
SelectCare hopes you have found this guide useful. Our team of home health care experts have extensive experience preparing our clients for emergency situations and build preparedness measures into every step of our services.
To learn more about SelectCare and how we’ve helped New Yorkers overcome challenges great and small since 1985, call SelectCare, read testimonials from past and current clients, or request a free in-home health care guide today.