TakeCHARGE Campaign Moves to "Step 2" — Keep Track of Your Medical History and Medications

WANTAGH, N.Y. - May 1, 2024 - PRLog -- The national TakeCHARGE Campaign: 5 Steps to Safer Health Care (https://www.takecharge.care) for 2024 has entered its third month with a new task for everyone who wants to stay safer and enjoy more secure medical care. In May, everyone's mission is to make and update a list of the medications they take, and to start keeping a personal medical history.

Why does this matter?

According to Ilene Corina, president of Pulse Center for Patient Safety, Education & Advocacy, the nonprofit behind the campaign, "Nearly every visit to the doctor's office or hospital involves reporting your medications to medical professionals. Save time and avoid mistakes by having a list prepared ahead of time and bringing a copy with you to your appointment."

There are more critical reasons, too. Suppose you are taken suddenly ill. Paramedics arrive, and what's one of the first things they want to know? "What medication is this patient taking?" Many people even post their medications list on the refrigerator door, so it will always be accessible in an emergency.

A Fuller Picture

What about a medical history? When we are sick or injured, we're not usually thinking at our best. When a doctor or nurse asks you about your problem, it's very easy to miss out important information. But if you've written all these things down "as they happen", the picture is clear. Just as a resumé helps an employer understand your suitability for a job, a personal medical history helps a clinician understand the whole picture of you as a patient. Not only does this history help the healthcare providers, it gives you a clear picture of your own long-term health.

The TakeCHARGE Campaign has detailed instructions on its website (https://takecharge.care/step-2/) about how to complete these lists.

Prompts, tips, memes and videos are also being spread across the Campaign's social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/takechargecampaign/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TakechargeC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takechargecampaign5steps/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-takecharge-campaign-5160a31a3/

To learn more about the Five Steps of the TakeCHARGE Campaign, please call (516) 579-4711.