Reviewed By:
Barry J Goldlist, MD, FRCPC, FACP
In health care in the 1990's, the major changes from the health care professional's point of view concern restructuring of the delivery system. In the United States, managed care has had tremendous growth, and in many parts of Canada restructuring of the hospital system has been dramatic.
However, I think it is likely that the recipients of health care are more interested in another fundamental change, the 'empowering' of patients. This has been manifested by scientific meetings that include disease sufferers and advocates (HIV, breast cancer), an explosion of self help groups and publications, and an almost ubiquitous interest in complementary medicine.
The MemoryMinder is a personal health journal that allows people to track numerous aspects of health in a systematic manner. Each double page (covers one day) has space for the following: (1) Date, (2) Weather, (3) Morning and afternoon weight, temperature, and blood pressure, (4) Blood sugars, (5) Hours slept at night, (6) Naps and time spent napping, (7) Drugs/medications, (8) Vitamins/herbs, (9) Physical activity, (10) Pain/discomfort/ skin changes (with diagram and rating scale), (11) General feeling, (12) Today's conditions and symptoms (organized anatomically), (13) Today's diet, and (14) Comments
Theoretically this will allow users of the journal to assist their doctors, discover patterns in their own health, and remain more focussed on their dietary and physical activity goals.
I think more limited journals, e.g. for tracking diabetes mellitus, that are easier to complete, would be more usable for the average patient. Of course, there is nothing to prevent patients from only filling out the portions they are particularly concerned about.
In summary, the MemoryMinder is an interesting concept, but I am unsure whether it will be helpful in actual clinical practice.
The Memory Minder Personal Health Journal is available from MemoryMinder Journals by writing PO Box 23108 Eugene, Oregon 97402-0425, calling 1-541-342-2300 or on the Web at www.memoryminder.com
