Paperwork is often stressful to deal with at the best of times; when you're dealing with a health issue, particularly a serious one, trying to keep track of lots of papers can seem downright painful. Though getting organized can't stop medical-related paperwork from entering your life, it can help you keep it under control. Here are a few simple ways to stay on top of your healthcare papers.

Create a dedicated binder and file
As with other kinds of organization, keeping your medical paperwork in order is much easier if it has a dedicated storage spot; things are much easier to find if you know where to look for them, and much easier to put away when they have a home. Unlike other papers, however, many health-related items need to be portable: notes for doctor's office visits, prescription sheets, and so on. Creating a medical binder and a related file will give you a spot to store various types of papers.

Use a 3-ring binder with tabbed dividers and plastic sheet protectors (which have holes punched along one side and are open on top) to create a portable storage system for your medical papers. You can customize the dividers based on specialists, days of the week, appointment types, or whatever other category makes sense for the health issue you're dealing with. Within each section, stash some blank pages for taking notes at your appointments (or bringing notes to share with your doctors), and use the sheet protectors to transport loose papers such as prescriptions, insurance paperwork, or business cards for your medical professionals.

At home, create a few hanging files with interior folders (that is, standard file folders that go inside the hanging files) that map to the categories you use in your binder. Also, add at least one folder for your insurance information so you have a place for the copious amounts of paperwork you're likely to receive from your insurance provider. Use your file folders to store paperwork you don't need to carry around with you, such as insurance EOBs (Explanations of Benefits), notes from past office visits, and general information on your health.

How long should I keep...?
One of the biggest challenges of dealing with medical paperwork is figuring out how long to keep it. There isn't a single set of guidelines that applies to everyone; what to keep and how long to keep it depends on several factors, including what medical issues you're dealing with, what sort of insurance you have, and whether you claim medical expenses as tax deductions.

To make it easier to keep your medical files up-to-date and under control, establish some guidelines for how long you'll hold on to papers. You might start by asking your insurance company how easy (or difficult) it would be to get another copy of an EOB if you needed it in the future. Your doctors might be able to provide some input on how long to keep notes on office visits, prescription information they give you, or research articles on your condition. Finally, your tax preparer can offer some guidelines on when it's safe to toss any medical or insurance records you may have been keeping for tax purposes. The bottom line is to create some guidelines that work for you and then stick to them by disposing of medical paperwork that has outlived its usefulness.

Processing new paperwork
As with any kind of filing, dealing with medical paperwork is an ongoing job: there will always be new prescriptions, articles, notes, and EOBs to deal with. While filing and organizing papers can be doubly hard when you're dealing with a health issue, taking small, regular steps to keep on top of it is generally much easier than trying to play catch-up when it overwhelms you.

Try to set aside a few minutes once or twice a week to sort through whatever medical paperwork has come in, and to put it where it belongs, whether in your binder or in a file. If a caregiver is responsible for dealing with paperwork, make sure he or she knows the system you've set up and can be counted on to put things in the right place. When dealing with particularly difficult doctor's office visits or serious medical procedures, ask a friend, family member, or other caregiver to accompany you and to take responsibility for any related paperwork.

Trying to wade through piles of healthcare-related papers may always be something of a chore; however, using the tips above to organize your medical files can make this task less stressful. With the papers you need stored together, easy to find, and up-to-date, you'll be more in control and better prepared to focus on your healthcare needs.