Family Medical History Template

Track your patient's family health information with ease using this Family Medical History Template. Spot genetic risks and make informed care decisions.

By Wynona Jugueta on Nov 18, 2024.

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Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.

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What is a Family Medical History Template?

A family medical history form is a document that contains health information across a family tree, detailing a family's medical history. Previous health conditions, diseases, illnesses, and other notes that have affected one's family members are commonly included on family medical history forms to gain greater insight into a patient’s makeup. This is especially relevant because many family health issues are more likely to predispose individuals to certain diseases and illnesses like heart disease or diabetes.

The more information a healthcare provider has concerning family medical histories, the more likely they are to identify potential genetic risk factors and take steps to reduce the patient's increased risk of developing certain health conditions, such as genetic testing for genetic disorders. As a result, family medical history forms are an essential component of healthcare and allow for more holistic evaluations that can increase clinical solutions.

With the family medical history form template, you can ensure you cover all necessary healthcare information. You can serve patients, prioritize their requirements, and implement a systematic practice that enhances the quality and coordination of care within your practice.

How to use this template for Family Medical History Template

To ensure you get started on the right foot, we've curated three simple steps for you to implement family medical history effectively within your practice. They're intuitive and easy to follow, which is great for healthcare providers just starting! Even if you've used family medical history forms before, consider checking that you're following the right steps.

Step 1: Get the medical history template

The first step is to get the Family Medical History Template. By clicking on 'Download,' the template should open in your PDF reading software. There, you can update any section. This is simple for your clients and means you can hand off the documents right to them. You can also click on the 'Use template' button to access and customize it through our Carepatron platform.

Step 2: Distribute the forms to your patients

The next, and perhaps most obvious, step is to supply your clients with the family medical history form to fill out. Sometimes retrieving family medical history information can take some time, so if your clients take a moment to get back to you, that’s okay. Just as long as they complete all sections and provide the family's health history, they will send it back to you.

Step 3: Securely save the document

Once the document has been handed back to you, you need to store it within a secure database. Family medical history documents contain highly sensitive information, so the client's privacy must be preserved at all times. This may involve scanning the document onto a HIPAA-compliant database or entering the data straight into a storage platform.

Who can use this printable Family Medical History Template (PDF)?

Family Medical History Templates are useful for any healthcare practitioner who wants to better understand the genetic background of a patient’s health. It is not exclusive to a particular specialty and can be used for various healthcare professionals.

Using the Family Medical History Template can increase the credibility and validity of diagnoses you make, as well as the treatments you prescribe. Doctors can make use of family health history information to better understand diseases and illnesses where genetics can play a large role, such as various cancers, and mental health professionals can evaluate the lineage of a range of disorders.

There’s no end to who Family Medical History Templates benefit, with these being just a handful of clinicians who can enhance their care with their use:

  • Psychologists
  • Psychiatrists
  • General practitioners
  • Nurses
  • Doctors
  • Surgeons
  • Counselors
  • Massage therapists
  • Mental health therapists

Benefits of using a Family Medical History Template

There is also a multitude of benefits that you can reap from utilizing family medical history forms within your practice. Take advantage of the following:

Excellent genetic evaluation

Naturally, using family medical history forms can be a great way to evaluate a client's genetic make-up in further detail and their predisposition to certain illnesses. This can lead to better treatment and higher proactivity in identifying health risks.

Simplified workflow

You don't have to look through scattered notes of family information; instead, you can evaluate all the important details in one place. Implementing one standard format will simplify your workload and healthcare operations.

Informed decisions

Knowing your patient's family background can help you make more informed decisions about treating their health condition. Knowing past history can also help you identify illnesses and diseases that patients may be more vulnerable to, and you can consider these through a more holistic evaluation of their health. 

Enhanced organization

Having a family medical history form also means you can work more systematically. All information is compiled and accessible in one place, and you can save time when assessing patients. You can retrieve all critical information in seconds and start treating your clients right away with minimal delays.

Detect early signs

One of the best things about family medical history forms is that they allow you to detect early signs of illnesses much faster. Knowing that a patient is susceptible to developing certain diseases or health conditions, you can know exactly what to look for and prevent the situation from complicating any further. 

Greater accuracy

As a result, having family medical history forms means you can have greater accuracy when developing treatment plans for your patients. You can better understand the scope of their condition and can trace it genetically to have more significant estimates concerning the age of onsets and such. Healthcare work is a bit like being a medical detective, so having more background and higher accuracy will always work in your favor to solve the case or treat your patients. 

Higher patient satisfaction

Working with patients to understand their family history is a great way to develop professional personal connections that increase patient satisfaction. Taking the time to develop treatment in alignment with the patient's lineage concerns is always a positive experience that shows you care. 

Save time

As we're sure you know, healthcare professionals tend to have busy schedules, so any process that can cut down on time is a welcome one. Using Family Medical History Templates means you can gather all genetic predisposition factors and cut out copious amounts of time asking the patient roundabout questions to gauge their history.

Who completes the family medical history?
Who completes the family medical history?

Commonly asked questions

Who completes the family medical history?

Naturally, the client completes the family medical history form. Of course, the client will know the most about the health conditions of their own family; however, if another family member can contribute, they are also more than welcome to. As a result, you may give the family medical history form to the patient to complete at home.

When should a family medical history form be updated?

A family medical history form should be updated if the client remembers anything new or if a new illness has emerged within the family that can be added. This isn't often, and it should be more of a cross-that-bridge situation to avoid taking away from other important matters during your appointments.

What if my patient was adopted or has missing family information?

If your patient is adopted, kindly ask if the patient knows anything about their biological family's health. If the patient does not know, then that's okay. The same goes for patients who have missing family information. Remember that family medical history forms complement the healthcare process and help support educated health decisions. While they are essential, you should not undertake any unnecessary research to recover family information. Many medical testing options can explore dispositions to certain diseases and illnesses, which can be used instead.

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