How to Document Your Medical Records

The best way to document your medical records for an international health treatment is to keep them clear, organized, and easy to share.

Gather your full medical history, medication list, lab results, and treatment summaries, and store them in both digital and physical formats.

This way, your doctors abroad can quickly understand your health needs and provide safe, effective care.

Here are your medical history records you can pull together:

• chronic conditions,

• past treatments,

• medications,

• allergies,

• lab results,

• imaging, and more.

  
  

You can share your medical records fully with your doctor abroad. If they don’t have access to complete information, clinics may have delays, misdiagnoses, or even unintended harm.

Types of Documents to Gather

Here’s a checklist of essential records to compile:

• Personal and insurance details

  Passport, health insurance policy (with international coverage details), travel insurance, complication insurance, and emergency contacts.

• Medical history overview

  Diagnoses, surgeries, past hospitalizations, and chronic illnesses.

• Current medication list

  Medication names, dosages, administration times, recent start/stop dates, and purpose.

• Allergies and adverse reactions

  Known allergies (medications, foods, materials), with reaction type.

• Lab results and diagnostics

  Recent blood test results, imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT scans), pathology reports, with dates and normal ranges.

• Treatment summaries

  Treatment dates, healthcare provider summaries, progress notes.

• Consent forms and directives

  Power of attorney and any procedural consent forms.

How to Organize Your Medical Records

1. Create a simple folder structure

• Digital: Use clearly named folders (e.g., “01_Personal,” “02_Medications,” “03_Imaging”).

• Physical: Use labeled dividers or sleeves that mirror the same structure.

2. Start with a summary page

At the front, include a concise overview:

• Your name and contact info

• A snapshot of current conditions and meds

• Urgent alerts (e.g., allergies)

3. Label documents clearly

Include titles and dates on every lab result, report, or form, e.g., “2025-06-10 – MRI Chest Report.”

4. Use digital formats when possible

PDFs are widely accepted. For imaging that’s too large, include CDs, USBs, or arrange transfer with cloud services (e.g., via secure email or patient portals).

5. Keep originals and backups

Bring originals during travel. Store digital copies securely in a password-protected drive or encrypted cloud backup.

Tips for International Communication

Translate key terms

If traveling to a non-English-speaking country, include translations for diagnoses, medications, and procedure names. Many hospitals provide multilingual forms, or you can use professional translation services.

Clarify units and reference ranges

Blood result units (e.g., mmol/L vs. mg/dL) and normal ranges vary—specify them clearly on lab reports to avoid confusion.

Know your medications in generic terms

Prescriptions can differ; listing both brand and generic names helps ensure continuity of treatment abroad.

Confirm document acceptance

Some facilities require notarized or apostilled medical records. Always check with your destination clinic beforehand to confirm their document requirements.

During Your Travel

• Carry a “Medical Passport”

  A compact, labeled booklet or folder containing your summary, medication list, and urgent alerts (e.g., “Allergic to Penicillin—Anaphylaxis”).

• Use secure digital access

  If using cloud storage, ensure you can access your documents internationally—test before you travel.

• Keep emergency contacts accessible

  Include a local contact (if available), your regular physician, and someone who can make decisions if needed.

Follow-Up Care

Follow-up with your local physician and update your records:

• Add treatment summaries from your international clinic abroad

• Note outcomes, new prescriptions, follow-up instructions

• Connect with your local doctor to discuss your experience and any next steps

Key Takeaway

A well prepared medical records history makes your health story easy to follow by your health provider abroad. You can feel confident and secure in your treatment abroad by organizing your medical records.