What skills do we associate with careers in the healthcare field?
Perhaps we think about someone who has strong interpersonal skills, a high IQ, or quick reflexes. Those can help with the mainstream duties, e.g., patient treatment, but what about healthcare’s technical side?
Healthcare workers deal with several people daily, which means that they also deal with so much data daily. Thus, they must organize information efficiently so they can access it anytime. A medical binder most easily accomplishes this task.
Let’s learn how to optimize our medical binder for our patients below!
Structure and Supplies for a Medical Binder
First, we must determine the physical materials that constitute our binder. This includes everything from the binder we place files in, to the tabs we insert.
Our binder should include:
- 3-ring, ≥ 1.5-inch binder
- Tab dividers (find some at Tabshop)
- Page protectors and sleeves
- Blank paper
- Calendar or planner
These components ensure that we have enough room for all patients’ medical records and personal notes. It also lets us quickly find everything, then preserve patient records for other healthcare workers to use.
We cover everything healthcare workers need within a medical binder below.
The Basics
Every medical binder should contain a section that overviews patients’ personal information. This means:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Addresses
- Contact information and emergency contacts
- Weight
- Sex
- Current Medical Conditions and allergies
- Attending doctors/physicians
This comprehensive overview allows caretakers to quickly take action in emergencies. For example, it buys patients extra time if someone admits them to the emergency room after a tragic fall and the attending physician knows their patient(s) have an allergy to certain medications.
Such basic information lets new healthcare workers treat or perform physicals on different patients. It also reminds patients’ current physicians about who they treat, as physicians help several patients throughout their careers.
Insurance and Lab Information
Insurance information within our medical tabs makes it easier for the patients. Some people either seldom carry their insurance information on them or forget to. Insurance information helps care providers and patients decide how to proceed.
Insurance information can work in tandem with lab information. Lab information refers to results from any diagnostic testing. Certain conditions require certain treatments, which insurance may or may not cover.
Furthermore, this expedites transactions regardless of results, i.e., diagnostic testing itself costs money, whether the patient has anything wrong with them.
Articles, Research, and Personal Notes
We should also dedicate a section to ongoing research. Science and the medical field rapidly evolve, which forces healthcare workers to constantly adapt their methods. We can place newfound articles, journals, and reports, here.
Healthcare workers may jot down important reminders or pertinent patient information that lacks its own category, too.
This miscellaneous section keeps other sections clutter-free.
Medical Binders as a Whole
Organizing medical information remains a hefty task that few others than a medical binder can uphold. Yet, this technical skill proves crucial for a smooth healthcare experience.
Medical binders require tight upkeep, but, can transform a taxing process.
To learn more about this topic and others like it, please check out the other articles on our website!