Follow the intervals recommended by your doctor for follow‑up visits, and record every measurement in the same notebook.

3. Follow the intervals recommended by your doctor for follow‑up visits, and record every measurement in the same notebook.

Cost: Each checkup costs anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred yuan. A trip to the hospital and waiting for results also takes some time. The main difficulty is that you must go regularly, which can easily be put off.

In plain terms: For chronic diseases, it’s the trends over time that matter, not any single measurement. Write down the date, the measurement, the medication you’re taking, and its dosage in one place. When you switch doctors, you can show this record so you won’t need to repeat tests or pay for them again.

Benefit: What matters for chronic conditions is how these values change over time. Keeping them all in one spot also means you won’t have to redo tests or spend extra money when you change medical providers.

Evidence grade: C

Sources: author’s experience, no direct literature

Notes: Be sure to record at least four items each time: the date, the measurement value, the medication being used, and its dosage. Taking a photo of the lab report with your phone works just as well. The key is to keep everything in the same place rather than scattering it across multiple notes.