Be your own Medical Historian. Pt.3.

   On re-reading my last blog, I found one omission that I would like to correct.  I would like to add a paragraph titled:        Tests and investigations.
   I think that is particularly relevant these days when lack of continuity of care is so common and when patients  are seeing either a primary care physician or a specialist who doesn't know them.  Adequate evaluation sometimes depends on knowing the results of recent tests and if the physician needs them and they are not at hand or easily obtainable, the most expedient way of dealing with the matter is to reorder them, thereby discomforting the patient and wasting money.   So if you have had abnormal (or normal) tests or investigations you should include them in your document.
   By the way, in my last few years of practice, a number of patients brought me a 'selfie' photograph of their rash or lump or whatever.  As a confirmed 'anti-selfie', anti narcissist individual, I  had to admit this was an entirely justifiable use of the 'selfie' technique.
   Of course, if there are other individual issues you want to remember to bring to the physicians attention, you can just develop an appropriate line.  That's the beauty of  the system, you can tailor it for you.  
   
   Now for something entirely different:  Vaping.
   I have been a strong supporter of those who have decided to quit smoking in favour of vaping.  I always believed that the harm, if any, from vaping, was infinitesimal compared with smoking, and that the damage inflicted on others was non-existent.   Now the British Royal College of Physicians has made a public statement to that effect.  I suspect my colleagues in Canada will soon follow suit.

Let me know if the last two or three blogs were of any help and if you have any suggestions to improve the system.