Your Emergency Contact Person--More Important Than You Think

It happens all the time; you have forms to fill out for employment, at the doctor's office and other incidences where you need to name an emergency contact person. Most of us just put in the name and phone number of a family member or close friend, and that's the end of that.

In truth, that should not necessarily be the last you think of that person and the situation into which you have inadvertently placed him. Naming an emergency contact person should come after some forethought on your part and on the part of person you plan to name.

Consider one or two people who you'd like to designate as the person to be contacted in the event a medical emergency in which you're involved. Talk to that person or persons and ask her permission to be listed as a contact in such an event. Make sure that the phone number you'll be providing for the person is likely to result in successful contact should the need arise. There's no point choosing a contact person that is often unavailable by phone, no matter how willing that person is to help you.

Information that your emergency contact person may need to know and provide to emergency and health personnel include: The name and phone number of your primary health care provider; name and phone numbers of close family members and partner/spouse; any known drug allergies; preferred hospital; any chronic health conditions; the existence of advance directives and perhaps to have those documents brought to the center providing emergency care.

As you can see, some of this may be private information you may not necessarily want to entrust to your neighbor just because he happens to live right next door.

If you've completed any advance directives such as a living will, organ donation or durable power of attorney for health care, keep copies at home and provide copies to your emergency contact person, your primary physician and your preferred hospital. Talk about your health care decisions with the people closest to you so they won't be shocked should unforeseen circumstances warrant the need to execute any of your advance directives.

A little forethought on your part will help to ensure the smoothest possible transfer of needed health information in the event of a medical emergency. Under some circumstances, it may save your life.