Organizing Records

[Mehita]

I was sorting through DS's medical binder today and thinking there has got to be a better way. Right now, I have a 3" three ring binder that is bursting at the seams with five years worth of reports, notes, and papers. I also have a spiral bound calendar that I take notes in and a spiral notebook that I use to write notes (also full!) while at appointments or talking to the nurse on the phone.

The binder is organized into categories: Labs & Appts, Meds, Notes, 504/School, Procedures, Medic Alert, Photos (from scopes!), and Gluten Free. Medical bills and insurance papers are just kind of hanging out a pocket waiting to get lost. Within each category, it's mostly ordered by date.

I use to bring the binder with me to appts, but now it's too big.

What do you keep? What do you toss? Think it's better have categories like I do or just everything ordered chronologically and all together?

I'm thinking of maybe only having just one year's worth of papers accessible and file the rest away.

How do you keep everything organized?

 

[DustyKat]

I file according to category and date too. :ybiggrin:

I see three ways I could go with the amount of documentation you have:

1. The archive route: So do as you have suggested, keep your current system but archive the older documents. The only issue I have with this sort of system is if it done strictly to plan you may lose some useful information out of the folder. By that I mean I personally would find that I would like a timeline of correspondence such as admission/discharge letters when taking the folder to appointments/hospital.

2. Two folders: Separate the information into what strictly pertains to DS’s condition and treatment and what is a flow on effect. So one folder would hold the information that a doctor or hospital would find beneficial…doctors letters, discharge letters, current and previous medication, investigations (blood, scope, imaging etc results). The other would contain gluten free, medical bills, 504, insurance papers and so on.

3. Combined folder: Folder 1 of number 2 combined with the only the most current documents of those papers in the second folder of number 2. Hope that makes sense!

I personally would go with number 2 but if I did prefer to some have level of access to all records when at the hospital or at appointments then I would set up a number 3 system.

Dusty. :Flower:

 

[Tesscorm]

I pretty much keep it as you do. I don't have as much information so mine is still portable. One thing I do have is a spreadsheet with all of S's lab results. Much easier to see trends, variations, etc. and, when we moved to the adult GI and moved to a new GP, it was simple to give them a copy and show history.

Not sure if I can attach an excel file here (think I tried once and it didn't work) but, if you want a 'blank' copy, PM me your email address and I can forward it to you.

 

[Jmrogers4]

#2 Here.
I have binder that includes medical tests, doctor visits, etc. anything that a doctor/hospital would be concerned with.
I have a separate binder for school stuff - 504's, letters, etc.
I file in filing cabinet medical bills and insurance.

 

[SupportiveMom]

I use google docs with a google account. It gives me access to excel files, photos, and any other document I want on any device with their 'drive' app. I can even open it up on my doctors computer when in the office or open it on my tablet.

 

[my little penguin]

I have medical records copy one year at a time to a cd as a PDF .
Then copy the PDF electronically .
I keep all meds current and failed plus current conditions to one sheet.
I then have a traveling folder with an electronic record of concerns updates etc by visit date and specialist.
I keep all records in a hard case file with tabs by specialist .
I am thinking of moving to a searchable PDF so I can categorize and search easily
from my phone or ipad at visits .

 

[Mehita]

SupportiveMom - Can you access the Google docs files w/o wifi? And do you create a file for each date/appt or do you just keep adding to the same file?

 

[SupportiveMom]

You can access files w/o wifi if you have it do so (and use the app Drive, it will take up a little hard drive space but if you make changes to the doc, the next time you are on wifi it will update). I use it for work a lot so it made sense for me to do it this way. Check it out. It may work for you.

 

[Mehita]

Sweet! Just installed it. That's going to work perfectly. The kids use this for school. I don't know why I didn't put two and two together. :ybatty:

I think I'm going to have one file for each year. It's nice to scroll through so easily that way. I'm typing in my handwritten notes and it's very interesting re-reading them. Things I thought were such a big deal then... not so much now.

I also started a spreadsheet for lab values. I've got my work cut out for me, but I think it will be worth it.

Thanks for all the ideas and input, everyone.

 

[dannysmom]

Also have binders like you and think the online plan makes sense. Thanks SupportiveMom.

 

[SupportiveMom]

Hope it works for you all. I'm still building mine. Its a " work in progress".

 

[Mehita]

I just spent several hours entering in lab values for the last five years into a spreadsheet (thanks, Tess!) and it was quite an eye opener seeing the data all spread out like that. Wow! I shaded the dates that I know he was flaring and then also shaded any values that were out of the normal range and compared the two. Apparently, CRP is really a good indicator for DS along with neutrophils. MCV also, but I have to admit I have no idea what that is.

I had been concerned recently because his last AST number was a bit high in December (we haven't retested yet), but in looking at his history, his AST tends to fluctuate quite a bit. Time for a chill pill!

And... his Alka Phos really correlates with growth spurts.

Just ignore me. I'm a geeky numbers person at heart and I'm finding this far too exciting. Why didn't I do this before?

AND... I stored it on Google Drive like SupportiveMom suggested and now the Hubster can see the files as well. Nice.

 

[Tesscorm]

I'm a geeky numbers person at heart and I'm finding this far too exciting.

:lol: I have to admit, I can totally find myself getting sucked into looking for trends, similarities and thinking... hmmm?!?:ybatty:

Here's a tip that will really excite you... :lol2:, put the number of the bottom of the normal range in one column and the top of the range in the next column (ie if normal is 10-50, put 10 in column B and 50 in column C), then highlight all the cells where you will be entering the lab results and select 'conditional formatting' (not sure where you find that now??? under one of the top menu items). You can then format based on a certain 'condition' such as if this cell is lower than 'B' or higher than 'C', highlight it in red! :lol: This way, as soon as you enter the number, if it's below or above normal, it'll turn red! :yrolleyes:

 

[Mehita]

Yes, conditional formatting is in full effect already. It's on the Home tab, under Styles, btw. If I wasn't looking at such a sad snapshot of my son's health, I'd be really impressed with my work. A little bittersweet seeing all the red cells. In the infamous words of Dusty though, onward and upward!

 

[Tesscorm]

But it is so satisfying when you see the red numbers becoming fewer and fewer or when you have a stubborn red line that suddenly isn't!! Prior to S's diagnosis and then for a while after, almost all the numbers were red!! And now most are not! I've yet to see one column that is all black but... we're almost there. I think it's also made me realize that numbers can bump out of 'normal' range and be back in 'normal' the next time... so, normal fluctuations. I guess for some, seeing it all in black and red could be overwhelming but, I find it helps give me some perspective. :blush: