Content added March 6, 2026

A medical summary is a list of your medications, medical conditions, and other medical information.

The goals of a medical summary are:

· To communicate effectively with your providers

· To help you understand your medical situation more clearly

· To help family members who might need to help you

This article will guide you through the steps of creating a medical summary.

Content added March 3, 2026

It is very important that all of your providers know all of the medications that you are taking.  You must be able to provide that information rather than relying on your provider.  The best way to do this is to create a medication list.

Although a medication list that you create yourself is the most accurate and most comprehensive, there are many other ways that can be used to provide a list of medications to your provider. This article lists many methods you can use along with the pros and cons of each method.

Content added Jan. 7, 2026

Patients are often frustrated when they learn that a provider cannot see their medical records. Different medical systems in Columbia do not use the same electronic medical record system. Understanding how the medical systems in Columbia work can help you stay within one system so your provider can access your records. If you visit a provider outside your system, be prepared to share your medical records with them. This article describes the different medical systems in Columbia in more detail.

Content added Jan. 7, 2026

A portal is a way for a patient to access their medical records.

Benefits of using a portal include:

• Messaging your provider about medical questions
• Requesting refills of medications
• Managing appointments
• Reviewing test results and clinic notes
• Sharing medical information with outside providers

MU Health Care, Boone Health, and many individual clinics will give their patients access to their medical records. However, it can take a bit of work to set up access to a portal. You should set up access to your portal before you need it.

MU Health Care: https://www.muhealth.org/patient-login

Boone Health: https://booneportal.meditech.cloud/

Content added April 16, 2025

Taking an active role in your health care can help you get the best care possible from your doctor. One way to do this is to make sure you get the most out of your office visit by preparing ahead of time and creating an agenda for your visit with your doctor. When you prepare for your appointment ahead of time, both you and your doctor will find the visit more helpful. Here are some tips you can follow for what to do before, during, and after your visit with your doctor. These tips can help you and your doctor work together to improve your health.