Medical personnel come on in... MIL drama!

Jillwithani · February 2013

SOs mom just informed me that if he has surgery tomorrow that she's the only one who can be here in case she needs to sign forms for him if he's knocked out because I don't count since we're not married.

If I'm his emergency contact and he gives me the authority ahead of time am I allowed?

bigbootyjudi · February 2013

You have to be his power of attorney. If not, he can list you in his Advance Directive [the hospital should provide and ask him about this]. If not, then no, there's nothing you can do.

earb · February 2013

Ahhhh 100% untrue!! Does your SO want you to be the one to make decisions for him, or his mom? If it's you, he needs to make you his health care proxy. It's literally a simple sheet of paper that he rights your name on, and says that you are his main person. He can put his mom as a back up if you are unavailable (which I am sure you will not allow to be the case). Hospitals all have the form, or you can literally find one online to print out. Somebody (doctor, nurse, admitting receptionist, whoever) just needs to witness it. It doesn't need to be notarized or anything like that.

Even if he doesn't want to make a health care proxy, if he lists you as his contact and the only person who is allowed to be informed of his medical treatment (or he can allow both of you), they have to honor that as part of HIPAA (patient privacy rules).

I don't know anything that is going on with your SO - but good luck if he has to have any surgery, and no worries, he can make sure that you are allowed in & to be kept in the loop as long as he does one of the 2 things above. Good luck!

bigbootyjudi · February 2013

earb:
Ahhhh 100 untrue!! nbsp;Does your SO want you to be the one to make decisions for him, or his mom? nbsp;If it's you, he needs to make you his health care proxy. nbsp;It's literally a simple sheet of paper that he rights your name on, and says that you are his main person. nbsp;He can put his mom as a back up if you are unavailable which I am sure you will not allow to be the case. nbsp;Hospitals all have the form, or you can literally find one online to print out. nbsp;Somebody doctor, nurse, admitting receptionist, whoever just needs to witness it. nbsp;It doesn't need to be notarized or anything like that.Even if he doesn't want to make a health care proxy, if he lists you as his contact and the only person who is allowed to be informed of his medical treatment or he can allow both of you, they have to honor that as part of HIPAA patient privacy rules.I don't know anything that is going on with your SO but good luck if he has to have any surgery, and no worries, he can make sure that you are allowed in amp; to be kept in the loop as long as he does one of the 2 things above. nbsp;
Good luck!nbsp;

That piece of paper is called an Advance Directive, btw. Pull his nurse aside and let her know what's going on...we deal with it all of the time, she'll sort it all out for you.

punkrockabye · February 2013

Have him tell a nurse that he wants to sign an advanced directive and "healthcare power of attorney," or talk to a social worker; often it's the social worker who handles those. Once he chooses you officially, his mom will have no say whatsoever.