April 26, 2023
Recent severe storms hitting Texas remind Texans to prepare – though perhaps differently than people might assume – by gathering personal medical information now in case of displacement by a disaster later, as hurricane season begins June 1. The Texas Medical Association (TMA) recommends everyone get a copy of their vital personal medical information, including current prescriptions.
Texans and patients from neighboring states who evacuated their homes and communities for an extended time because of hurricanes like Harvey, Rita, and Katrina soon discovered they were unable to refill necessary prescription medicines in their new temporary location because they lacked prescription information. Some could not contact their physician to access it.
“It is wise for every person to have their own medical information, including a current list of any medications they are taking,” said Gary W. Floyd, MD, TMA president. “Such information can be very helpful, if not critical, if the patient is displaced due to a natural disaster or public health emergency.”
History shows it is common for as many as 1 million people to evacuate their homes in advance of a major storm, and most don’t know how long they will be gone. Presumably none of the Hurricane Katrina evacuees fleeing the 2005 storm imagined their relocation would be permanent, for example, although as many as 30,000 people displaced by that storm ultimately put down roots in Houston.
Complicating matters, natural disasters have destroyed physician practices too, so patients could not access their medical information from affected doctors’ offices even if they themselves were not displaced.
However, the medical practice’s online patient portal allows patients to download and save or print their medical record summary. TMA surveys indicate most Texas doctors (89%) have electronic medical records.
Dr. Floyd said most patients can help themselves now by gathering a list of their medications, notes on any regular health monitoring needed, a list of any allergies, and an updated vaccination record with dates. Some patients also would benefit from knowing their tuberculosis test results (if any), and a list of recent procedures, results, and treatments like cardiac tests and any treatment schedule.
“You never know when you might need this vital information, so we recommend acting now to have it on hand before an emergency arises,” Dr. Floyd said. “Simply photograph your vital information with your smart phone and save it. That might be all you need.”
The Texas House of Representatives in 2019 even gave preliminary approval to a resolution promoting Texans Medical Records Checkup Day, at the urging of TMA physicians. The resolution reads, “If a patient needs to replace his or her medications, health care workers can serve them most efficiently when up-to-date medical information is provided, and a current list of a patient's immunizations can also prevent them from receiving redundant vaccinations when vaccine supplies are limited.”
That document “encourages all Texans to have access to or possession of an accurate summary of their medical records as part of their disaster preparedness plan.” While the state did not ultimately adopt the resolution, physicians believe the idea remains good advice.
The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season, which typically affects Texas weather, runs June through November. Tropical storm weather forecasters call for 13 named storms this year, of which six could become hurricanes.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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Contacts:
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; brent.annear@texmed.org
Swathi
Narayanan (512) 370-1382; swathi.narayanan@texmed.org
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