Have you ever visited family members or friends in the hospital only to find that no one, including the patient, can remember the disease or illness terminology, the names of the doctors and nurses, the tests and procedures that are planned or the medications that have been prescribed?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, don't feel embarrassed; you are not alone. Unless you have a background in the medical field, you've probably never heard of the medical terms and abbreviations commonly used by health professionals as they explain the illnesses, tests, procedures, diagnostic tools and medications involved in a patient's recovery. This is a common problem experienced by even the most discerning patients and their devoted families.

The Patient Journal™ helps to eliminate this problem by prompting you to record important medical information, confirm physician names and comments, track medications and remember tests and procedures on a daily basis. The journal guides you through the systematic process involved in a hospital stay, beginning with admittance, through the diagnostic and treatment regimen and finally discharge. The Table of Contents highlights these steps and outlines the patient's journey to recovery in four tabbed, easy-to-use sections, as follows:

This section includes The Patient, Patient Medical History and Family Medical History and is provided to gather valuable patient and family medical information, both past and present. Included is space for noting important insurance information, previous medical ailments, blood type and medication allergies. These pages will prove helpful to the physicians and staff involved in the patient's recovery.

Next is the Medical condition page. On this page you will record the doctor's description of the medical problem, (i.e., the primary diagnosis) as well as any secondary diagnosis that may arise. The prognosis, or expected outcome of treatment, is also documented here. The information gathered on this page will be useful in explaining the condition to family and friends and will assist you as you meet new medical staff members.

The Physicians page follows and is located in the front of the journal for a reason -- it is important! These are the men and women who will be critical in the patient's recovery. As new physicians are added to the medical team, record their name, medical specialty and office phone number. If necessary, ask them to spell their name and point out their field of specialty from the Medical Specialists pages in the last section of the journal.

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