Keep health records safe for emergencies

California seismologists recently launched an earthquakereadiness campaign with the slogan "Shift happens."

While the campaign centers on how to secure heavy furniture and appliances, there are other additional steps to be taken before the next "big one" hits.

In the event of a major quake, it is critical to have access to personal medical information that might otherwise be lost or damaged, including a list of prescription medications and required dosages, allergies and any medical procedures and tests.

Today, many health insurers offer an online personal health record where members can create a summary of health conditions, medications, medical procedures and lab results.

Userfriendly and comprehensive health records result in more informed, safe and costeffective decisions between patients and their healthcare professionals.

Such access could have helped victims of Hurricane Katrina, said Douglas Henley, MD, executive vice president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

"Whether they ended up in Houston, Baton Rouge or elsewhere, they could have had health information with them, and any physician or hospital could have viewed past medical history," said Henley.

Other uses of a personal health record include the following:

+Immunization records to enroll in school or play sports.

+Holidays/vacations and travel. The record provides an extra measure of protection should emergency care or prescription refills be needed.

+Coordination of care. Personal health records are a portable medical history that one can provide to new, multiple or specialized physicians to coordinate the best care possible. It also helps prevent costly duplicate tests and dangerous drug interactions.

+Insurance re-enrollment or filling out multiple insurance applications.

For more information on personal health records, call a personal health insurer or visit www.myuhc.com.