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Home emergency preparedness

What to Keep Ready at Home — for a Chemotherapy Emergency

When a fever or severe vomiting starts at midnight, how quickly you reach hospital matters. A pre-packed bag and a document folder near the door turn a frightening crisis into something you can act on immediately.

Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • Pre-packed bag — A bag near the door means no searching when you are already frightened and time matters.
  • Document folder — Your reports and ID in one place saves critical time at the admissions desk.
  • Numbers on paper — Phone contacts fail when a phone is lost or flat. Written numbers do not.
  • Tell every adult at home — In an emergency, the person who knows where to look may not be the one who can search.
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Keep two things near your front door: a document folder with your medical reports, ID, insurance papers, and a written list of emergency phone numbers; and a pre-packed bag with a medication list, change of clothes, and phone charger. Both together mean you can leave for hospital within minutes, not hours.

If a symptom below applies to you, do not wait for a callback. Call 1800-202-8726 or go to your nearest emergency department.

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Dr. Naresh Gundu
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Naresh Gundu

MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology)

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Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy

MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)

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Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla

MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)

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Dr. Owais Mohammed
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Owais Mohammed

MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)

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Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. N. Kiranmayee
Medical Oncologist

Dr. N. Kiranmayee

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Internal Medicine)

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Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty

MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)

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Dr. Raghavendra Naik
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Raghavendra Naik

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

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Dr. Mohammed  Imaduddin
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin

M.B.B.S, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

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Dr. Vinay Mamidala
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vinay Mamidala

MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)

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Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology), FMAS

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Dr. Venkata Sushma P
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Venkata Sushma P

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology), MPH

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Dr. Basudev Pokhrel
Hematologist

Dr. Basudev Pokhrel

MBBS, M.D (Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion)

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Dr. Mohammed Imran
Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Mohammed Imran

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Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology

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Dr. Sridhar Kamani
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Sridhar Kamani

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology)

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What goes in the document folder, and what goes in the bag?

ItemDocument FolderEmergency Bag
Medical papersAll recent reports and scan results, newest on topOne-page treatment summary if your team has prepared one
IdentityAadhaar card and hospital registration cardPhotocopies of both
InsuranceInsurance card and policy numberPhotocopy in the bag
MedicationsFull current prescriptionWritten list of all medicines — generic names and doses your team prescribed
Contact numbersEmergency numbers written on paperSame list — one copy in the bag, one copy on the refrigerator
Practical itemsNot neededChange of clothes, phone charger, small amount of cash

Which documents matter most, and which phone numbers?

Your document folder should hold your most recent oncology reports, current prescription, hospital registration card, Aadhaar, and insurance papers. Arrange them newest first — the admissions desk needs your current scan, not one from two years ago.

Write three phone numbers on paper: your oncologist's emergency or after-hours line, the hospital's emergency department number, and one family member who can drive or come with you. Tape one copy inside the folder and one somewhere visible at home, such as the refrigerator.

Your emergency bag needs very little. A written list of every medicine you take — including what other doctors have prescribed and any supplements — is the single most useful thing you can pack. The hospital will supply what you need once you arrive; the list is what their team needs when you walk in.

Tell every adult in your household where both the folder and the bag are kept. In a real emergency, the person who knows where to look may not be the one who is able to search.

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important documents to keep in the folder?

Your most recent oncology reports and scan results come first — the admissions team needs to know your current treatment, not where you started. Add your prescription, hospital registration card, Aadhaar, and insurance papers, arranged newest on top. If the folder grows thick over time, keep the last six months of reports at the front and move older ones to a separate archive so you can still find what is current quickly.

Which phone numbers should we write down?

Write three numbers on paper: your oncologist's emergency or after-hours line, the hospital's emergency department number, and one family member or support person who can drive or come with you. Keep one copy in the document folder and one somewhere visible at home. Do not rely only on a phone contact list — phones get lost, run flat, or may be with the person who is unwell. Paper does not fail.

Should we pack medicines in the emergency bag?

Do not pack the medicines themselves — taking the wrong dose in a rush is a real risk, and the hospital will give you what you need on arrival. What belongs in the bag is a written list of every medicine you take, including anything prescribed by other doctors and any vitamins or supplements. Write the generic name of each, the dose your oncologist prescribed, and when you take it. Update this list whenever anything changes.

How often should we update what is in the folder?

After every hospital visit or new test result, put the new report at the front and move anything over a year old to an archive. Update the medicine list whenever a dose changes or a new medicine is added. If you have not looked at the folder in two months, check it today — treatment can change quickly, and an outdated prescription at the admissions desk wastes time when you cannot afford to.

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Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies73

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