A method of recording, updating, and accessing a person's medical history over time includes the steps of maintaining the person's medical history in a portable memory device that includes both the medical history and a program that stores medical records in a secure database in the portable memory device, updates the medical records in the secure database, and provides access to the medical records in the secure database. The program is executable using any electronic device having a processor that is capable of accessing the portable memory device. Using the method, a person is able to record, update, and access that person's medical history without the need for special software, and without the need for access to a website or to a database of medical records, that is external to the memory device.