Spring break is coming up, which means that a majority of people will be heading out of town, bound for warmer weather. Whether you’re heading to your family’s cabin in Colorado, Disney World Resort in Florida, or you’re taking advantage of this time off and finally cashing in that international vacation that you’ve been dying to book, you absolutely want to make sure that you make a medical checklist. While you may be off of work and the kids are taking a break from school, your health is still something that you need to be prepared to deal with — it’s certainly not taking a vacation!
With that being said, the team at Medics USA, located in Washington DC, is going to take today to go over a few of the items that you want to make sure are on your medical checklist. Given that medications and needs will vary from one person and family to the next, customize this list to include all of the must-have medications and items for you to enjoy every moment of your vacation. Let’s get started!
Prescription Medication
Without a doubt, you’re going to want to pack any prescriptions that you are currently taking. Even if it’s something that has been prescribed to you for certain situations, like migraines or joint swelling, make sure to pack them for the trip. The last thing that you want is to wind up on vacation without the medication that allows you to remain comfortable.
Take some time to write out the various prescriptions that you take regularly so that you can make sure you don’t miss any when it comes to packing. Now, when you have them all listed out, make sure that you have enough of each prescription to last you the duration of your trip. If you don’t have enough, make sure you refill your prescription ahead of time so that you are set. You will also want to make sure that you have records of your prescriptions on you so that you can prove that these prescriptions are yours —- this is often required and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Just-In-Case Medications
Prescription medications are something that you need in order to manage your health while traveling, but they’re not the only medications that you’re going to want to pack for a trip. We always suggest packing medications that you may need. It’s always better to have them than to not have them! This is great for headaches, stomach aches, diarrhea, and the like. A majority of these medications will be bought over the counter and (hopefully) will go untouched during your trip. Even so, it’s always better to have them on hand if you do wind up needing them.
Medical Documents
Medication is certainly the top of the list that you’re going to want to make sure you’ve packed, but documentation is up there with it! When you get ready to travel, you’re going to want to make sure that you have certain medical documents on hand. While you may not want to take original copies with you, it’s worth taking the time to make copies of specific medical documents so that you can bring them along on the trip. We suggest carrying the following medical documents when traveling:
- All prescriptions (medications, glasses, medical supplies, etc.)
- Health insurance card and documents
- Vaccination records, especially if traveling overseas
- Contact card for emergency contact or someone in the United States if overseas
- Primary health care providers
- Address of your lodging
This type of information, when on hand, can help save a life. If you have a serious medical condition, make sure that this information is on you at all times in a place that someone would be able to get to quickly.
Medics USA has Your Travel Care Taken Care Of
If you’re going to be heading out of the country in the next couple of months, you’re absolutely going to want to schedule an appointment with Medics USA. While our staff is known for providing urgent care and primary care services, we do offer a wide variety of travel care services so that you can be fully prepared for your upcoming trip. From vaccinations to clearance exams, we can help ensure that you’re traveling safely while overseas. Contact our office today to schedule your travel care appointment and we would be more than happy to get you taken care of!
