It can be anxiety-inducing to think about what would happen if you or your loved ones were in an emergency. That makes sense: staying in the present allows you to cherish every good and exciting moment, from birthday dinners and weekend hikes to job promotions and weddings.
But sometimes unforeseen incidents happen. For example, what would you do if you got into a fender bender on your way to the grocery store and needed to go to the Emergency Room to be evaluated? Do you always have your insurance card and contact information for your primary care physician on hand?
All too often, people don’t prepare for sudden healthcare emergencies. You don’t have to dwell on worst-case scenarios, but planning ahead can remove some of the stress from an already-stressful situation.
Here, we’ll discuss some of the documents you’ll want on hand in an emergency, and why it’s useful to have easy digital access to those important files.
Keep track of your most important documents
If you or a loved one are in a sudden accident, you’ll want to minimize the time and energy you spend locating the documents you need to navigate the situation. But what information should be easy to access from wherever you are? Here are a few:
- Driver’s license
- Medical insurance card
- Medical records and medications list
- Power of attorney
- Advanced medical directive
- Medical information release
- List of medical professionals with contact information
And if you are unable to communicate, you’ll want to make sure that the right people automatically have access to certain sensitive information. Ask yourself…
- Do you know the alarm code to enter your loved ones’ home?
- Can a trusted person locate the key to your secure lock box?
- Who has the passwords to your important digital accounts?
You won’t want to spend valuable time shuffling between possible document locations. If you or a loved one is in an accident, you’ll need every minute, too. When you have this information at your fingertips and accessible from any device, you can help things go smoothly in any emergency situation.
How and where should you store your critical information?
In a medical emergency, certain documents ensure that you and your loved ones are cared for and spoken for by the right people. But between drawers and binders, home safes and lockboxes, do you know where these important documents live?
A digital vault can prevent you from needing to track down your documents. With secure access through a preapproved system, you or a trusted individual can access what’s important. That way, you won’t waste time and add stress trying to locate the things you need.
Try putting yourself in the shoes of the two women involved in last summer’s hit-and-run in Chicago.
When they arrived at the hospital, healthcare professionals needed immediate access to certain documents. Consider that one of the women was a recent cancer survivor and may have complex healthcare needs.
Documents like medical records and advanced healthcare directives can be vital to determining appropriate next steps. You won’t have time to search for what you need, and replacements can be slow to arrange.
When you’ve made it easy to access your important documents, medical professionals can focus on giving you the best care, and family members can more quickly make it to your side.
What to look for in a document storage solution
Now that you know which documents you may need in an emergency and why you need them, you might be looking for an effective way to store your important files.
What should you look for in the right document storage solution? The right product should have a few features:
- Cloud storage: You’ll want to be able to reach your documents from any device.
- Security: Make sure only the right people have access to your documents.
- Mobile access: You won’t always be near a laptop – access your documents on the go.
Imagine, for a moment, that you’re a trusted relative of the woman who did not survive the Chicago hit-and-run. How would you locate her will? Would you have the passwords you need to access her email, social media, or crypto accounts? Where might you find the details of her apartment lease agreement? And how can you ensure that all of this information stays in the right hands?
A strong document storage product should make it simple to answer these questions. You shouldn’t need to look for documents in any number of physical and digital locations. With cloud storage, airtight security, and mobile access, you can rest easy knowing that you or a loved one can quickly and securely access your important documents from any internet-connected device.
