Of all the items in your wallet, the most valuable could be a simple piece of paper that lists your preseciptions and medical history.

Listing this information on a wallet card and carrying it with you at all times could save your life in a medical emergency, according to the Pennsylvania Medical Society. That’s why the Medical Society and its member physicians are providing a complimentary medical history wallet card (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) to consumers throughout Pennsylvania.

“If you’re rushed by ambulance to a trauma center following an accident, doctors won’t know what medications you’re using, and you might not be in any condition to tell them,” says Daniel J. Glunk, M.D., a Medical Society member and an internist with the Susquehanna Health System in Williamsport.

“Having that vital information in your wallet for health care personnel to find when searching for identification will assist them in administering the correct treatment without delay,” he adds.

The name of the drugs, dosages, and prescribing doctor should appear on the card. So should a history of allergies, chronic diseases, and major surgeries.

The medical history wallet card is an effective way for patients to provide doctors with sufficient clinical data. How else would a doctor know that an unconscious person is allergic to a medication that could make him or her critically ill?

Taking any over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, or herbal supplements? Indicate them on the card, too. They may not mix well with a medication generally used to treat your condition, prompting the doctor to prescribe an alternate remedy.

Even in routine medical situations, the card comes in handy. A doctor, perhaps a specialist, whom you’re seeing for the first time will want to know what medications you’re taking. Forget to bring them along? Can’t remember the names and dosages? No problem. Present the card, and the doctor will have an important piece of your medical profile in hand.

Your dentist can extract useful information from the card, too, especially if treatment includes a prescription drug, such as antibiotics for a gum infection.

“The card bridges the gap in transferring information from one medical caregiver to another,” says Dr. Glunk. “It facilitates a smooth flow of health information.”

While he recommends medical history cards for everyone, Dr. Glunk says older people in particular should carry one, since they’re more likely to be taking several medications. Also, parents ought to compile a card for each child, recording chronic medical problems and immunizations as well.

The card’s value depends on how current it’s kept. List medications as soon as you begin them, and remove those you’re no longer taking. Add or delete temporary medical conditions, nonprescription drugs, and natural supplements. Ask your family doctor to review your card during regular checkups. When the card fills up, transfer only current information to a new one.

The best place for the card is right there in your wallet, along with your driver’s license and other personal identification. You’ll always know where it is, and it’s the first place emergency medical personnel are likely to look when seeking an unconscious patient’s identity. Make sure your name is clearly indicated on the cover of the card, and insert it into a photo window to give it added visibility.

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