Medical schools teach that the most important step of making an accurate medical diagnosis is not the physical examination or expensive medical tests and equipment. The doctor is best served by taking a complete patient history. Surprisingly, most people do not know or remember many of the details of their own health. This is a frustration to all health professionals, and can contribute to a misdiagnosis and medical errors. Technology will eventually catch up with our need to have timely access to medical information. In the meantime, follow these steps to create a quick record of your past medical history.