Preparation
You can prepare information in advance for the medical history. It is often difficult to recall on short notice the exact year that you had a certain operation done, for example, an appendectomy at the age of six or a tonsillectomy at the age of ten. You can find out the dates before you are admitted to the hospital. In fact, many patients forget about major operations in childhood, and the physician discovers that such operations have been performed only when he or she sees the surgical scars. If you are uncertain about the cause of death, or the age at death, of a parent or grandparent, try to get the facts from another family member. If you are taking regular medication, look carefully at the bottles and write down the name of the drug and the dosage.
Although the outcome of your hospital stay depends on the skill and concern of those who look after you, your own participation should not be entirely passive. A patient’s history is vitally important, and you should do everything in your power to ensure that the history and facts that you provide are accurate and concise. Foresight and preparation may, at least, shorten the time spent answering questions and, at most, might save your life, if the information concerns something as serious as an allergy to some drug. The first day in the hospital with all the admission procedures and repeated questions and examinations can be tiring, especially if you are not feeling well. The thoroughness with which everything is done is essential, so it is best to be tolerant.
