Abstract:
A booklet that is intended to be carried by a person so as to be available to a health care provider when the person is in need of medical treatment. The booklet is intended to collect and present, in an orderly fashion, personal medical information that is potentially useful to the health care provider. The booklet comprises constructional features, namely pockets for receiving sheets of paper and/or glossy areas for adhesive-backed stickers, that allow for medical information to efficiently organized and presented, and to be updated as required.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a booklet that provides medical information about its bearer. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As a practicing physician, I have observed that patients requiring medical treatment are sometimes unable to convey appropriate and accurate information about themselves to the health care provider at the time when the need for such information is greatest, such as after accidents loss of memory, state of confusion, etc. I have therefore invented a booklet that is intended to be carried by a person so as to be available to a health care provider when the person is in need of medical treatment. The booklet is intended to collect and present, in an orderly fashion, personal medical information that is potentially useful to the health care provider. As a physician, I believe that this booklet will prove to be a great service to some patients in these circumstances. The booklet comprises constructional features that allow for medical information to efficiently organized and presented, and to be updated as required. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,729 shows a prior art Patient Medical Information and Education Container. 
     Details of my invention will be explained by reference to the accompanying drawings and the ensuing description of a presently preferred embodiment in accordance with the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the outside of the front cover of my booklet with the booklet closed. 
     FIG. 2 is a view of the inside of the front and back covers of my booklet with the booklet opened. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom edge view of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a view in the same direction as the view of FIG. 2 of certain interior pages for the booklet. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom edge view of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 6 is a view in the same direction as the view of FIG. 2 of certain other interior pages for the booklet. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom edge view of FIG. 6. 
     FIG. 8 is a view of a fastening device for use with my booklet. 
     FIG. 9 is a view of another fastening device for use with my booklet. 
     FIGS. 10-13 are four respective forms that can be used with my booklet. 
     FIGS. 14 and 15 are two respective charts that can be used with my booklet. 
     FIGS. 16 and 17 are the face and reverse sides of sheets that are used in association with my booklet. 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 are views corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3, but presenting an alternate embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     When it is closed, my booklet 20 has a rectangular shape whose size is approximately four inches by six and one-eighth inches as shown in FIG. 1. When it is opened, as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the booklet has a size of approximately eight inches by six and one-eighth inches. 
     Booklet 20 comprises a front cover 22 and a back cover 24. The outside 26 of front cover 22 as shown in FIG. 1 contains my trademark &#34;Medical Passport and Design&#34;. The covers are fabricated from a relatively thick material, such as paper, plastic, or leather, and may be colored or otherwise decorated as desired. 
     The surface finish of the inside 28 of the front cover 22 and that of the inside 30 of the back cover 24 allows an adhesive-backed sheet to be removably adhered thereto. Such an adhesive-backed sheet contains certain medical information about the person who is the bearer of the booklet. An example of such a sheet 32 is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. 2 includes several such sheets mounted on insides 28 and 30. 
     The sheet 32 has a front face 34 onto which certain medical information about the bearer can be placed. Such information can be entered by typing. The back face 36 of sheet 32 contains adhesive that allows for it to be releasably adhered to inside 28 or 30 as the case may be. When the sheet 32 is so adhered, the information that appears on its front face will be presented when the booklet is opened to the condition of FIG. 2. By way of example, the size of such sheets may be 2-3 cm. by 10 cm. 
     The top of inside 28 contains the heading 38 &#34;List of Health Problems&#34;, while the top inside 30 contains the heading 40 &#34;List of Medications&#34;. Information relating to health conditions of the bearer may be entered on the face 34 of a sheet 32 and the sheet releasably adhered to inside 28 in the space below heading 38. Likewise information relating to medications taken by the bearer may be entered on the face 34 of another sheet 32 and that sheet releasably adhered to inside 30 in the space below heading 40. Thus when the booklet is opened, a list of the bearer&#39;s medical conditions and a list of his medications are presented on the respective insides of the front and back covers. By having the sheets releasably adhered in this manner the booklet may be easily updated by replacing an outdated sheet with a new sheet. 
     Additional information is presented by providing interior sheets for the booklet. A first type of interior sheet 42 is presented in FIGS. 4 and 5. It is a transparent plastic that contains a center fold line 44 that is adapted to be placed essentially coincident with the center fold line 46 that joins the front and back covers 22 and 24. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the opened condition. Sheet 42 provides four pages, and each page contains a rectangular pocket. Each pocket is closed along three sides and the remaining fourth side is open toward fold line 44. The pockets are adapted to receive sheets of information that are useful for the patient. Examples of such sheets are given in FIGS. 10 through 15. 
     FIGS. 14 and 15 can be adapted for use as charts which could be hung in the kitchen or in the bedroom. When appropriately prepared for such use, the chart of FIG. 14 will allow the shape of medications and their purpose, side effects, and dosages to be shown in an easy way. Such a chart may be made of thick board or plastic (for example, 9×12 inches) with a glossy face or special plastic to allow the frequent sticking and removal of adhesive-backed sheets (stickers) like those previously described. It will have different coloring in each part helping to associate one group of meds with its information and dosage--this will be done by coloring that section. It will have a section for marking the doctors&#39; and dental appointments and the dates of tests, helping to organize the information in a more visible way. The background, colors, and shapes may vary in order to make a nice likeable chart. It will have a line for important numbers such as the doctors&#39;, immediate relatives&#39; hospitals&#39;, etc. 
     A sheet such as 42 is separably assembled to the sheet that forms the front and back covers by placing the sheet 42 against the insides 28 and 30 with the lines of folding 44 and 46 essentially coincident. Then a device such as the spring clip 50 of FIG. 8 or the pin 52 of FIG. 9 is used to complete the attachment. The line of folding 46 contains a groove that allows the clip to be fitted over one of its lengthwise ends and to fit into the groove so as to hold the line of folding 44 of sheet 42 in the groove. Both lines of folding may have sets of registering holes 54 that when registered allow the pin 52 to be threaded through so as to join the sheet 42 to the sheet that forms the front and back covers. 
     Another form of interior sheet is the sheet 56 of FIGS. 6 and 7. This sheet may be attached to the fold line of the front and back covers in the same manner as that just described for sheet 42. Sheet 56 may be a plastic or a paper with a surface finish that allows for the releasable adhering of adhesive backed sheets to it in the same manner described above for adhering adhesive-backed sheets to the insides of the front and back covers. The adhesive backed sheets that are releasably adhered to a sheet such as 56 may contain additional medical information about the bearer. It may also be used to contain small picture of actual medications, tablets, capsules, etc. It could also be used to explain the use and side effects and dosages of medications in brief language. 
     The interior sheets can also have background printing and necessary information typed on them. 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 show another embodiment of my booklet which comprises front and back covers 22 and 24. The insides of these covers contain pockets into which sheets of paper containing medical informations relating to the person, such as previously described earlier, can be inserted. They can be updated by removal and updating, or else by removal and replacement by new sheets. 
     In conclusion, my booklet provides a summary of pertinent medical information about an individual in a uniform organized way. It can be easily updated, as required. It can be an aid in assisting a health care provider to furnish proper care, and it could possibly even save lives in certain situations by providing timely information about the patient.