Minimum information:
(1) personal identification
(2) insurance card
(3) contact list for family and medical providers
(4) current medications
(5) allergies
(6) significant illnesses (diabetes, heart disease, seizure disorder, etc)
(7) permission for organ donation
(8) serious communicable diseases (multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, etc)
Patients who may need to carry more complete information:
(1) congenital heart disease, prosthetic valve or cardiomyopathy
(2) cardiac arrhythmia, especially with implantable device
(3) organ transplant recipient
(4) hereditary metabolic defects
(5) after complex surgery
(6) significant malignancy
(7) significant antibodies to red blood cells or platelets
(8) radioactive implants
These patients may require:
(1) updated list of medical problems
(2) description of surgical procedures
(3) records of implants and manufacturer contact information
(4) recent imaging studies
(5) advanced directive and other legal documents
The more complex the problems the more often the information must be updated and the greater the care that the information is accurate.
A person who is traveling may want to carry a list of possible providers at various destinations.
