Organizing Your Health Information
Caring for your health means more than making decisions, it means making sure others have the information they need to support you. This section helps you organize essential medical details that can guide your care team, loved ones, and emergency responders with confidence and compassion.
Why This Matters:
In moments of urgency, quick access to accurate information can prevent delays, reduce risk, and ensure your care reflects your true needs. By keeping this information current and easy to find, you give others the clarity they need to help, when it matters most.
Essential Health Information to Share
While legal documents establish your decision-makers and core medical choices, this section focuses on the practical health information that makes everything run smoothly. From your medication list to organ donation preferences and physician contacts, these simple tools can help your loved ones and providers act quickly, safely, and in alignment with your values.
What This Means for Your Family:
When your essential health details are documented and shared, your family is better prepared to step in with clarity and care. Instead of guessing or scrambling for information, they’ll be equipped to support you with calm confidence, and carry out your wishes with peace of mind.
In This Section You'll Find Info On:
- Medication & Health Summaries
- Organ Donation Registration
- Physician Contact Lists
Medication & Health Summary
Keeping a current list of your medications and medical history ensures that those caring for you have accurate, potentially life-saving information at their fingertips. It’s especially important for your healthcare Power of Attorney, primary care provider, and emergency responders.
Include:
- All current medications (prescription, over-the-counter, and supplements)
- Diagnosed medical conditions
- Known allergies (especially drug or food allergies)
Keep this list with your advance directives and in your “If Something Happens” binder. Update it regularly, and share copies with those who may need to act on your behalf.
Who to Talk To:
Review this list with your primary care provider, and give a copy to your healthcare proxy or Power of Attorney.
Organ Donation Registration
If you wish to donate your organs or tissues, it’s important to make that choice known clearly and in advance. Organ donation can be a final act of generosity, saving or improving the lives of others in need.
Your decision should be documented and communicated with loved ones to avoid confusion during emotional moments.
How to Register:
- Through your state registry or DMV (often marked on your driver’s license)
- Via your healthcare provider or through your advance directive
- On national registries such as organdonor.gov (in the U.S.)
Who to Talk To:
Register your wishes officially, and share your decision with your family, healthcare proxy, and physician so they can honor it with confidence.
Physician Contact List
Create a simple, up-to-date list of your primary care doctor and any specialists involved in your care. In an emergency, having this information readily available ensures that the right people can be contacted quickly and that your care is coordinated appropriately.
Include:
- Name and specialty of each physician
- Clinic or hospital name
- Phone number and office address
- Any after-hours or emergency contact instructions
Keep a copy with your medical records, in your “If Something Happens” binder, and share it with your healthcare Power of Attorney and close family members.
Tip: Review these annually with your healthcare Power of Attorney.
Who to Talk To:
Your primary care physician can help you compile a comprehensive list of all providers involved in your care.