A lot can change in a year, including your health information and emergency contact details.
Even if there are no changes to your profile, it's equally as important to confirm that your information is still current and up-to-date.
“During an emergency, we need to gather information as quickly as possible in order to determine the best course of action. However, this information is only useful if it is up to date.”
– Blair Bigham ACP, MSc., primary care paramedic
Bigham adds that in order for information to remain relevant and useful, medical profiles should be updated at least once a year and when changes arise, including:
- Medication changes:
- Are you taking new medications? - Certain medications might conflict with others causing potentially fatal results – it's crucial for paramedics to know exactly what medication you are on
- Condition changes:
- Has your condition worsened or improved in the past year?
- Do you have any new medical conditions?
- Contact information:
- Are you seeing a new doctor or specialist?
- Are your emergency contacts the same? Have they moved and changed their phone numbers?