5 Tips for Managing Piles of Hysterectomy Paperwork
If you are facing a hysterectomy, you already know that there can be piles of paperwork involved. And the pile continues to grow after surgery. The paperwork is important, so you don’t want to misplace or lose any of it. It can include insurance information, bills, surgery instructions, FMLA documentation, medications, and more.
Here are 5 simple tips you can follow to help you manage your piles of paperwork and minimize the stress involved with keeping all those documents organized.
1. Get a binder, accordion file, or box.
Having a binder or similar organizer to be used only for your hysterectomy can help you keep all of your paperwork together. Rather than mix your hysterectomy paperwork with other household documents, you can put all of it in one place, separate from everything else. You will be needing to access it multiple times until you have completely healed, returned to work, and paid all of the related medical bills.
2. Use dividers or folders.
Rather than dump all of your hysterectomy paperwork into your hysterectomy binder or box in an unorganized fashion, use folders or dividers to keep similar documents together. You’ll likely want separate sections for insurance information, FMLA documentation, EOBs, medical bills, medication information, and post-op instructions, but you should also create as many separate sections as you need in order to keep things organized and tidy for you. You should also keep a folder which includes important information such as your surgeon’s contact info, pharmacy location and phone number, list of current medications, allergies, etc. Care givers may need this information and you can easily take this folder with you to appointments and the hospital.
3. Label everything.
Don’t assume you will remember the red folder is for contact information or the second section is for insurance paperwork. Instead, label everything. This will allow you to be able quickly grab what you need if you are headed to an appointment or on the phone trying to straighten out a bill. It can also allow others to be able to help you with your paperwork and make it simpler if there is an emergency.
4. Keep blank paper, pens, and a stapler with your paperwork.
When making phone calls about your hysterectomy, it is a good idea to keep notes about the conversation and file them with the appropriate paperwork. Write down the person’s name, what day and time you spoke, and what was decided. You can then staple the note to the EOB, bill, etc. in question so they stay together.
5. Be consistent.
Even if you have a designated binder or box, if you aren’t consistent with filing your paperwork you could end up buried in a mound of confusing paperwork. Whatever method you choose, be consistent with it. Take the few minutes necessary to file any hysterectomy related paperwork in the correct sections. As part of being consistent, you should also note dates and keep things organized accordingly. Being consistent about dates can help you pay bills on time which can help you keep your stress level in check.
This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support. Reprinted with permission: 5 Tips for Managing Piles of Hysterectomy Paperwork
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