While many of us look forward to getting out of town, there are certain things to consider in preparation for traveling. The nursing team has put together a few friendly reminders to help ease the travel process, which can often become stressful.

A few tips to stay ahead of the game:

• A month in advance of your planned trip date, take inventory of any prescription medications or supplements you may be running low on. Also, please note if you are on your last refill, this is the time to reach out to the nursing prescription line, as it will give the nurses enough time to obtain prior authorization for any medications that may require it. Additionally, if a vacation override is required, this will give the nursing staff enough time to make sure all appropriate paperwork is in order. 
• If you take any supplements through Dr. Bates, and are running low, please contact the front desk about ordering more. If you are taking any over the counter medications, please make note of these too, and allow yourself enough time to pick up anything you may need at your local pharmacy.
• If you are traveling anywhere that recommends or requires vaccinations, please call our nursing line as soon as possible so that we can consult with your attending neurologist on how to address this. This will leave ample time to complete any paperwork, or write any letters that may be required.
• On that topic, please be mindful of any travel letters you may need, as there is a 5-7 business day window allotted for staff completion of these letters (i.e. traveling with injectable medications, hotel accommodations, etc.).
• If you are traveling within the United States, you may want to make note of the closest pharmacy to where you are staying in case of any emergencies. If you are traveling abroad, you may want to look into local medical support in the area.
• If you use any assisted devices or durable medical equipment, please be sure to check in advance if there are any special arrangements that may need to be made with your mode of transportation or hotel to accommodate them.
• Take time to do some research on the climate and environment of where you’ll be traveling. This information will help you determine if there are any specific accommodations that need to be made due to the surrounding location. This will make packing and planning activities easier.

As always, if you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact (212) 265-8070.