Vacation Travel Tips from The Valley Health System
If travel plans are part of your summer agenda, packing a few extra items can make a difference in a medical emergency.
As you prepare to travel, Carolyn Hafen, Director of the Emergency Department at Spring Valley Hospital, recommends creating a folder that contains important information about your health or storing this information on your phone. “We often see tourists who require medical care,” says Hafen. “It makes an emergency room visit even more stressful when you can’t find your health insurance cards or don’t know the specific name or dosage of any medicine you or a family member is taking.”
So, in addition to packing clothes, Hafen advises keeping the following information in a safe yet easily accessible location when you travel:
- List of medications and the dosage you are currently taking
- Any allergies with what reactions you have to the medication
- Information about your medical problems
- Names of your primary care physician and/or specialists with phone numbers (include area code)
- Phone number of your local pharmacy (include area code)
- Phone numbers (with area codes) of relatives or family friends who may be contacted
- Copy of your living will or advance directive if you have one
- Drivers license (or copy)
- Proof of insurance and an insurance contact phone number
Additionally, if you or a family member have breathing problems and are traveling somewhere with elevation changes or climate changes, be sure to bring along an inhaler.