Traveling for health care isn't as simple as packing for a vacation. You need necessities, comfort items and medical records your providers may ask for.
Watch these Mayo Clinic experts share their recommended packing lists — plus, a trick for when your medication bottles just won't fit.
We asked Mayo Clinic experts: What should you pack when traveling for health care?
Christopher V. DeSimone, M.D., Ph.D.: Make sure you have a battery phone charger. Make sure you have an iPad and several books to read to keep your mind busy. Make sure you have at least one or two cellphone numbers so that we can contact a loved one in case there's an emergency.
Jamie J. Van Gompel, M.D.: You should always, in addition, bring all your imaging if you haven't confirmed that it's there. We wanna see the actual images so we can help you best.
Carrie A. Krieger, Pharm.D., R.Ph.: It's also good to carry a medication list with you, noting when you started a medication. How long have you been on it? It's really helpful if a patient brings the bottles that the medications were dispensed in or the original bottles that their herbal medicines and supplements and vitamins came in.
If it's really too cumbersome to bring those bottles, take a picture of the front and back of the bottle, making sure that you get the supplement facts in the photo.
Omar M. Ghanem, M.D.: It can be as simple as getting more protein drinks with you, or having sports shoes around or more comfortable clothes. Be cognizant about the things that they would need for the time they're gonna be spending in the hospital or in the clinic.
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