Emergency Room Go-Bag Checklist

The emergency room is exactly the wrong place to discover that the medication list is six months old, nobody knows the allergy reaction, the insurance card is in another wallet, and the person who knows where the healthcare documents are cannot be reached.

That is why this go-bag starts differently. The most useful thing you can prepare is not a toothbrush. It is a small, current information packet that helps the caregiver answer the questions the ER is likely to ask — followed by a lightweight physical bag for comfort and practical needs.

Build the information packet first

AARP and hospital emergency-care guidance consistently emphasize having current medication, allergy, clinician, insurance and advance-directive information available. Keep the packet small enough that a caregiver can grab it without sorting through a binder.

Current medication information

• Medication name
• Strength or dose information from the current label/list
• Current directions
• Over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements when known
• Preferred/community pharmacy

Allergies and important medical information

• Known medication allergies
• Reaction, if known
• Major diagnoses or conditions the caregiver has been told are important for emergency care
• Implanted devices or other critical medical information, if applicable and known
• Usual cognitive/communication baseline if a sudden change would be important context

Clinicians and emergency contacts

Keep identification and coverage information easy to reach

• Photo identification
• Health insurance card or current insurance information
• Emergency contact information
• Primary care clinician name and phone number

If you keep photocopies or digital copies in the go-bag system, protect sensitive information appropriately and replace outdated copies when cards change.

Know what healthcare-planning documents exist

Emergency departments may ask whether advance directives, a healthcare proxy/medical power of attorney, or portable medical orders such as POLST/MOLST exist. Requirements and legal effects vary, so the goal of the go-bag is to make the existence and location of relevant documents easy to communicate — not to interpret them.

• Advance directive, if one exists
• Healthcare proxy / medical power of attorney documentation, if applicable
• Portable medical-orders form such as POLST/MOLST, if applicable
• Name and contact information for the person designated to participate in healthcare decisions, if applicable
• Where the original or current signed documents can be found

Then pack the physical go-bag

Once the information packet is ready, keep the physical bag simple. ERs can be crowded, transitions can happen quickly, and personal items can be misplaced.

Vision, hearing and communication

• Glasses and protective case
• Hearing aids, case and charger/batteries
• Dentures and labeled container, if applicable
• Communication aid or simple written communication needs, if used

Phone and practical items

• Phone
• Charging cable and plug
• Simple sweater or light layer
• Easy-on footwear if appropriate
• Small notepad and pen
• One comfort item if it is genuinely useful and easy to keep track of

What to leave home when possible

• Jewelry and sentimental valuables
• Large amounts of cash
• Extra credit cards or unnecessary keys
• Expensive electronics that are not needed
• A large supply of personal belongings “just in case”

What about the actual medication bottles?

Hospital and ER policies differ. AARP caregiver guidance notes that medication containers can sometimes help staff verify what a person has been taking, but caregivers should not assume the patient should take their usual home doses while in the ER. If you bring medications or containers, tell ER staff and follow the facility's instructions about what should happen with them.

Keep a “grab location” at home

A go-bag only works if someone besides the primary caregiver can find it. Pick one consistent location and tell the family where it lives.

• Choose one storage location near an exit or other logical grab point.
• Label the bag clearly.
• Keep the information packet in the same place every time.
• Tell at least one backup caregiver where it is.
• Review the contents after a hospitalization or major medication/document change.

Use a handoff card on top

The first person grabbing the bag may not be the person who assembled it. Put a one-page summary on top that answers the first questions a backup caregiver is likely to have.

• Person's full name and date of birth
• Primary family contact
• Primary care clinician
• Current medication list location
• Allergy list location
• Healthcare-document location
• Where glasses/hearing aids/dentures normally are

If the ER visit becomes a hospital admission

The go-bag gets you through the door with the essentials. If your parent is admitted, the caregiver's job changes from emergency preparation to organizing the first hours of a hospital stay.

The separate Hospital Admission Checklist is designed for that next stage.