Mesothelioma is a highly complex illness. Often, it can only be diagnosed at advanced stages, and people aren’t always aware that they were even at risk of developing this type of cancer. However, there are some things you can do to make these difficult situations less complicated if you or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
One critical step you can take is to gather and organize medical records.
Why medical records matter
Medical records can serve a range of important purposes.
- Determining the cause: Medical records can contain information that makes identifying the cause of mesothelioma easier. This information can include occupational history, previous addresses and dates of when symptoms began.
- Informing treatments: Your records contain vital details on treatments and medications, as well as how you responded to them.
- Applying for clinical trials: Being eligible for clinical trials typically requires people to submit extensive medical records. Having these records can make it easier to qualify for and participate in these trials.
- Calculating care costs: Medical records should reflect everything from tests doctors ordered to medication they prescribed and procedures they performed. Having all this information can help you calculate the numerous costs associated with care.
- Providing evidence for trials: Should you file a lawsuit in light of a mesothelioma diagnosis, your medical records will be essential in proving your case. They can also be crucial for expert witnesses whose testimony may focus on care you did or did not receive.
Considering how many purposes medical records can serve in mesothelioma cases, ensuring you can access them will be vital.
Tips for organizing all the information
Because mesothelioma is so complicated to diagnose and treat, chances are there will be a lot of information to collect and organize.
Start by requesting your medical records from all providers. Typically, you can choose between digital and paper records, which you should keep in a secure place. You might also consider using apps that help with the digital organization of medical records. These apps can keep your information organized and easily accessible.
Collecting and organizing medical records can seem daunting. However, creating and maintaining a system for this can make life a little easier.