Organizing Your Medical Records: What Should You Include?

You don’t need to keep every scrap of paper relating to your medical history. Sometimes, you’ll get extra sheets of paper without anything on them or with random bits of information that are either irrelevant or easy enough to remember. These items will just clog up your medical records and make it harder to find the important information you actually need.

Talk to your doctor if you have any more questions about what to include when organizing your medical records. With this list, you won’t be caught off guard the next time you need to reach for important medical information. Learn more about how healthcare providers work to improve their patients' health literacy here.

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Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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