Annual Health and Medical Record

Personal Health and the Annual Health and Medical Record

Find the current Annual Health and Medical Record by using this QR code or by visiting www.scouting.org/health-and safety/ahmr/. The Scouting adventure, camping trips, high-adventure excursions, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so are your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in making sure you have a great Scouting experience. So what do you need?

All Scouting Events. All participants in all Scouting activities complete Part A and Part B. Give the completed forms to your unit leader. This applies to all activities, day camps, local tours, and weekend camping trips less than 72 hours. Update at least annually. Part A is an informed consent, release agreement, and authorization that needs to be signed by every participant (or a parent and/or legal guardian for all youth under 18). Part B is general information and a health history.

Going to Camp? A pre-participation physical is needed for resident, tour, or trek camps or for a Scouting event of more than 72 hours, such as Wood Badge and NYLT. The exam needs to be completed by a certified and licensed physician (MD, DO), nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. If your camp has provided you with any supplemental risk information, or if your plans include attending one of the four national high-adventure bases, share the venue’s risk advisory with your medical provider when you are having your physical exam. Part C is your pre-participation physical certification.

Planning a High-Adventure Trip? Each of the four national high-adventure bases has provided a supplemental risk advisory that explains in greater detail some of the risks inherent in that program. All high adventure participants must read and share this information with their medical providers during their pre-participation physicals. Additional information regarding high-adventure activities may be obtained directly from the venue or your local council.

Prescription Medication. Taking prescription medication is the responsibility of the individual taking the medication and/or that individual’s parent or guardian. A leader, after obtaining all the necessary information, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a youth takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but the Boy Scouts of America does not mandate or necessarily encourage the leader to do so. Standards and policies regarding administration of medication may be in place at BSA camps. If state laws are more limiting than camp policies, they must be followed. The AHMR also allows for a parent or guardian to authorize the administration of nonprescription medication to a youth by a camp health officer or unit leader, including any noted exceptions.

Risk Factors. Scouting activities can be physically and mentally demanding. Listed below are some of the risk factors that have been known to become issues during outdoor adventures. • Excessive body weight (obesity) • Cardiac or cardiovascular disease • Hypertension (high blood pressure) • Diabetes mellitus • Seizures • Asthma • Sleep apnea • Allergies or anaphylaxis • Musculoskeletal injuries • Psychological and emotional difficulties

Questions?

Q. Why does the Boy Scouts of America require all participants to have an Annual Health and Medical Record?

A. The Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR) serves many purposes. Completing a health history promotes health and awareness, communicates health status, and provides medical professionals critical information needed to treat a patient in the event of an illness or injury. It also provides emergency contact information.

Poor health and/or lack of awareness of risk factors has led to disabling injuries, illnesses, and even fatalities. Because we care about our participants’ health and safety, the Boy Scouts of America has produced and required use of standardized annual health and medical information since at least the 1930s.

The medical record is used to prepare for high-adventure activities and increased physical activity. In some cases, it is used to review participants’ readiness for gatherings like the national Scout jamboree and other specialized activities.

Because many states regulate the camping industry, the AHMR also serves as a tool that enables councils to operate day and resident camps and adhere to Boy Scouts of America and state requirements. The Boy Scouts of America’s AHMR provides a standardized mechanism that can be used by members in all 50 states.