I have to explain my medical history repeatedly to different staff. Can't they just read my chart?
The team will record your history on a clinical chart. But there are several reasons why different staff will ask you to repeat your story.
Most simply, the doctors, nurses and others who assess you will find your story easier to remember if they hear it from you face to face. It is also important for members of the team to get to know you as a person, not just as a collection of medical facts. Various specialists will emphasize different questions and listen for different information in your answers. The chart may list the basics, but not the specifics that each specialist may require.
Finally, part of the role of a teaching hospital is to help the junior staff improve their interviewing skills. You obtain the benefits of having more doctors reviewing your care. Their benefit is their education.
Some parts of your medical history are very routine. You may find it less tedious to keep a written outline of past illness, surgery, medication and other treatment. You can easily refer to it when answering basic questions.