When Camp Health Systems Break Down: 6 Problems You Can Fix Now
Every summer, camp health staff find themselves in the same spot: juggling medications, fielding parent questions, and trying to keep up with a line of campers at the health center door. When the systems behind the scenes aren’t working, the job gets harder, and the risks go up.
Here are six trouble spots that cause the most frustration — and practical steps to get ahead of them before the season starts.
Incomplete health forms
Paper packets and spreadsheets almost guarantee missing information. Details about asthma, food allergies, or daily meds sometimes don’t surface until a camper is standing in front of you. That slows everything down and puts staff in a reactive position.
What to do now
Use an online form that parents can update on their own time. Automated reminders keep submissions moving, and staff can flag gaps early instead of scrambling on opening day.
Medication records that don’t hold up
Handwritten logs get messy. Notes are missed, schedules slip, and it’s tough to see patterns over multiple weeks. The result is extra work for staff and more room for error.
What to do now
Switch to an electronic medication record. A standardized system makes it easier to follow schedules, record each dose, and keep an accurate history for both daily use and audits.
Visit notes that can be altered
Logs that allow edits or deletions don’t provide accountability. It becomes nearly impossible to spot trends like repeat visits for stomachaches or minor injuries, and compliance reviews become a headache.
What to do now
Use a system that locks original entries. Updates should be made through addendums or linked visits, so the record stays intact.
The wrong people seeing the wrong details
Health information needs to be shared carefully. Counselors should know if a camper carries an EpiPen, but they don’t need full access to that camper’s medical history. Without the right permissions, staff either see more than they should or miss the information they need.
What to do now
Set access by role. Directors, nurses, counselors, and seasonal staff should each see only what helps them do their job.
No plan for when the Wi-Fi drops
Connectivity at camp is unpredictable. When the internet goes down and staff can’t pull up rosters or allergy information, care gets delayed.
What to do now
Prepare in advance. Download secure rosters and health summaries before sessions begin so the information is available even without a signal.
Documentation that isn’t consistent
Every staff member has their own way of writing notes. That makes it harder to hand off responsibilities mid-season or track a condition across visits.
What to do now
Standardize how records are written. A format like SOAP notes (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) keeps entries organized and easy to follow across staff.
Why this matters
None of these pitfalls are just paperwork issues. They affect camper safety, staff stress, and family trust. Camps that address them before summer give health staff more time to do what matters most: caring for kids.
For a deeper look at strengthening your camp’s health management systems, download the CampDoc 2025 Buyer’s Guide.
- 👉 Download the full decision guide for health staff checklists and examples you can use now.
- 👉 Prefer a walk-through? Talk with our team and we’ll map these fixes to your setup.
