Having my bags packed is not an unusual thing in itself. Last week I traveled from Portland, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina to Dallas, Texas and home to Galveston. Those trips, however, were as an educational speaker for Emergency Medicine residencies. The trip that I’m packed for now is an evacuation for a hurricane.
As Tropical Storm Dolly makes her way across the Gulf, residents of the Texas Gulf Coast prepare for her arrival. In the midst of filling gas tanks, putting up the storm windows and buying supplies, people often forget one small thing that could be life-saving in the event of medical emergency….their medication list.
Every person should have a legibly written list of the medications that they take. The list should include:
PATIENT’S NAME
NAME OF THE MEDICINE
STRENGTH OF THE MEDICINE
HOW OFTEN IT IS TAKEN
Ideally, the list will include any allergies to medications and the name and phone number of the prescribing doctor. The list should be carried by the individual in a logical place, such as a wallet.
Here is an example:
MEDICATION LIST OF JANE DOE:
ASPIRIN
325 MG
ONE EVERY MORNING
ALLERGIES: NONE
PRESCRIBING PHYSICIAN: DR. JOHN SMITH (555) 555-5555
Under the stress of a medical emergency during an evacuation, the patient may not accurately remember all the medications and dosages. The patient’s primary care physician may have also evacuated. Even large national pharmacies may not have complete records available. For these reasons, every person should have and carry their own list.
I have my list and my bag ready to go. Here’s hoping that neither are needed.
As Tropical Storm Dolly makes her way across the Gulf, residents of the Texas Gulf Coast prepare for her arrival. In the midst of filling gas tanks, putting up the storm windows and buying supplies, people often forget one small thing that could be life-saving in the event of medical emergency….their medication list.
Every person should have a legibly written list of the medications that they take. The list should include:
PATIENT’S NAME
NAME OF THE MEDICINE
STRENGTH OF THE MEDICINE
HOW OFTEN IT IS TAKEN
Ideally, the list will include any allergies to medications and the name and phone number of the prescribing doctor. The list should be carried by the individual in a logical place, such as a wallet.
Here is an example:
MEDICATION LIST OF JANE DOE:
ASPIRIN
325 MG
ONE EVERY MORNING
ALLERGIES: NONE
PRESCRIBING PHYSICIAN: DR. JOHN SMITH (555) 555-5555
Under the stress of a medical emergency during an evacuation, the patient may not accurately remember all the medications and dosages. The patient’s primary care physician may have also evacuated. Even large national pharmacies may not have complete records available. For these reasons, every person should have and carry their own list.
I have my list and my bag ready to go. Here’s hoping that neither are needed.
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