If you have a medical condition and are planning to take a trip, here are a few tips on how make sure you don't get into trouble.  The most important thing is to have a record of your medications/dosage, your doctor(s) contact information and all your important medical info handy at all times such as on your iPhone.

1. Locate the nearest hospital, it can save your life.

You never know when you'll need medical care. Locate the nearest hospital to your hotel, as your chances of getting better healthcare rise dramatically when you're close to a hospital, and make sure your insurance covers emergency treatments in that hospital. A medical research conducted in Sheffield UK, determined that you should be as far as 6.5 miles from a hospital. This is true for all medical conditions.

Distance1

2. Visit your doctor 4-6 weeks before your trip to get his blessing

Just to make sure you're in a medical state that allows you to travel away from home, visit your doctor 4-6 weeks before your traveling plans, as a quick test will determine you're perfectly safe to go ahead and travel. Your doctor should know about your traveling plans and reinsure its safety. You'll feel much more relaxed with his blessing.Make sure to ask your doctor for traveling recommendations, things to avoid and routine to keep while traveling.

Checklist

3. Exotic locations can get you into exotic trouble

Make sure you get all your vaccinations in advance. Some vaccines like Hepatitis A needs to be taken a month ahead. Even more, it's extremely important to ask your doctor if it's medically safe for you to take those vaccinations in accordance with your medical conditions. For example, people with certain chronic illnesses, or people going through Chemotherapy for cancer, shouldn't receive the live virus vaccine for yellow fever.In case you're traveling to an exotic location with an exotic language other than your own, make sure you bring a translation of your medical condition and diagnosis.

Vaccines_In_Advance

4. Make sure you have a way to communicate with your doctor.

Get your doctor's and your pharmacist's emergency contact details in advance and carry them with you, both written on a paper in your suitcase and on your mobile phone. In case you won't be able to make the call yourself, make sure these contact details are available for to the people you travel with.

5. Always have your up to date medical records at hand

In case you need medical assistance, you must have your medical records with you. Make sure you have all your updated prescriptions, vaccinations, allergies, medical history and a description of your medical condition on your mobile phone. It's your responsibility to provide the most accurate information about your condition. The American Hospital Association has recently uncovered a shocking fact.Bottom line, don't trust the system and make sure you have all your important medical info handy at all times.

records-medical

6. Don't break your diet, come prepared.

Check in advance what type of food they serve in the hotel's breakfast, plan your airplane or road meals ahead, and bring healthy snacks that fit your diet, especially if you're dealing with Diabetes, Lactose or Gluten Intolerance.

Foods-healthy

The bottom line…

It's in your power to travel healthy and responsibly. Take control, make healthy decisions and prepare in advance, so you can enjoy your next travel.

Source

  1. Jon Nicholl, James West, Steve Goodacre, Janette Turner, Medical Care Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, The relationship between distance to hospital and patient mortality in emergencies: an observational study, Copyright ©2007 Emergency Medicine Journal.
  2. CDC -  Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
  3. ONC/American Hospital Association (AHA), AHA Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement.
Hello Heart is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment. You should always consult with your doctor about your individual care.

1. Gazit T, Gutman M, Beatty AL. Assessment of Hypertension Control Among Adults Participating in a Mobile Technology Blood Pressure Self-management Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2127008, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27008. Accessed October 19, 2022. (Some study authors are employed by Hello Heart. Because of the observational nature of the study, causal conclusions cannot be made. See additional important study limitations in the publication. This study showed that 108 participants with baseline blood pressure over 140/90 who had been enrolled in the program for 3 years and had application activity during weeks 148-163 were able to reduce their blood pressure by 21 mmHg using the Hello Heart program.) (2) Livongo Health, Inc. Form S-1 Registration Statement. https:/www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639225/000119312519185159/d731249ds1.htm. Published June 28, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2022. (In a pilot study that lasted six weeks, individuals starting with a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg, on average, had a 10 mmHG reduction.) NOTE: This comparison is not based on a head-to-head study, and the difference in results may be due in part to different study protocols.
2. Validation Institute. 2021 Validation Report (Valid Through October 2022). https://validationinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hello_Heart-Savings-2021- Final.pdf. Published October 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. (This analysis was commissioned by Hello Heart, which provided a summary report of self-fundedemployer client medical claims data for 203 Hello Heart users and 200 non-users from 2017-2020. Findings have not been subjected to peer review.)