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Grow in the Know / Preventive and Screenings / Why It’s Important to Keep Your Providers Up to Date With Your Health History

Why It’s Important to Keep Your Providers Up to Date With Your Health History

exchange of information graphic

Your Role in the Exchange of Health Information

By Mary Zamost, quality care coordinator at Network Health
11/19/2024

Many medical conditions can be related to other conditions or their treatment. Effective coordination of care depends upon clear and timely communication among patients, providers and facilities. This communication allows informed treatment decisions and decreases the potential for unwanted medication interactions and duplicated testing, increasing your safety and helping control cost.

Here’s how you can help.

Sharing Information With Your Health Care Providers

  1. Communicate with your personal doctor. You two are a team. The way to make your team stronger is by letting your personal doctor know about any visits you have with other providers (such as specialists and behavioral health providers).
  2. Keep your doctor up to date on your medications and doses. Being aware of all medications you take helps your personal doctor see the complete picture. This helps you avoid medication interactions and duplicated tests, leading to improved outcomes and increased safety.
  3. Sign a release if you visit providers outside of your personal doctor’s organization. When your personal doctor refers you to a specialist, information is usually shared as allowed by privacy laws. If you choose to seek services outside of your primary provider’s organization, however, ask whether a release needs to be signed so information can be sent to your personal doctor.

Tools for Sharing Your Health History

With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to ensure your personal doctor has the latest information about your health history. Let’s consider an example. Imagine you received blood test results and realized you forgot to tell the doctor who ordered them that you had recently begun taking ibuprofen each morning due to a muscle injury. You might wonder whether that ibuprofen could influence the test results.

Many health care providers have patient portals that can be accessed via a website or smartphone app (such as MyChart). These can be used for many purposes, including receiving test results and communicating with your doctors. While you could call the provider location to inform them of the ibuprofen, you may find it more convenient to message them through the portal.

Additionally, many providers now offer virtual appointments. If you have something more complex to update your personal doctor about, an appointment via phone or video chat can be an effective middle ground between making an in-person appointment and sending a message through the portal.

[Read more: Where Should You Go When You Need Medical Care?]

Open communication and exchange of information allow you and your personal doctor to develop a complete and more successful plan of care. Think of them as your copilot, helping you navigate the way to a healthier you.

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