Emergency rooms move fast, and the information they need most urgently is often exactly what's hardest to provide if you can't speak clearly.
What to have ready in advance
- Health care proxy contact information, ideally already on file with your regular hospital system if you have a preferred one
- Current medication list and known allergies
- A copy of your living will, in case treatment decisions arise before your agent arrives
If you have a preferred hospital system, ask whether they let you pre-register key documents (health care proxy, medication list) into their electronic system — many larger systems do, which speeds things up considerably.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Discuss your specific medical situation and any advance directives with your physician.