Does being a healthcare proxy/agent mean I have to attend all medical appointments?
I am my dad's healthcare agent, but live a few hours away. My sister lives closer and can attend medical appointments. If the healthcare POA is enacted, can she still attend appointments. We both have a signed proxy to access health information.
She has a signed proxy to attend? Yes, of course she can attend, then. But they will also want to know that YOU, as "acting" health care proxy at this point, are fully informed. So they will ask YOU to attend as well. If you cannot serve you may want to find a way to attend by Zoom or other way. You need to discuss this with whatever entity (care facility) is arranging these health care meetings. They will tell you their own protocol. I hesitate to say what that might be as each will vary according to institution.
In my own case, when my brother was in rehab at the other end of our state, I attending care conferences on the phone. It worked very well. Because I had personally been there I had a relationship with nutrition, doc, PT and OT personnel already.
My opinion, I say yes. As the MPOA you can assign someone to go with Dad and take notes. Some of my husbands doctors type what they say right into the computer or tablet and then print the notes off. Maybe Dads doctors do this. Then Sis can forward the notes onto you. But yes, you make the decisions based on Dad's wishes. If something comes up that is not covered in his wishes, you take the info provided and what you think Dad would want to make your decision. Age has a lot to do with it too.
I think because families are spread out now, we have to work together for the care of our parents. Yes, there are rules governing Financial and Medical POAs but rules can be bent. My brother asked me if I was OK money wise for Mom. Telling him yes was not violating my Moms privacy and she would not have cared anyway. And if course I told him how Mom was doing and what the doctor said because he lived 7 hrs away. She was his Mom too and again, she would not have cared. The only reason I was POA was because I lived in same town as Mom. If it had been reversed, my brother would have been POA.
She can attend, but treatment decisions have to be made by you. So it's important that you understand and agree with any information shared during the visit. Healthcare portals are helpful for this since you can see the office notes.
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Yes, of course she can attend, then.
But they will also want to know that YOU, as "acting" health care proxy at this point, are fully informed. So they will ask YOU to attend as well.
If you cannot serve you may want to find a way to attend by Zoom or other way.
You need to discuss this with whatever entity (care facility) is arranging these health care meetings. They will tell you their own protocol. I hesitate to say what that might be as each will vary according to institution.
In my own case, when my brother was in rehab at the other end of our state, I attending care conferences on the phone. It worked very well. Because I had personally been there I had a relationship with nutrition, doc, PT and OT personnel already.
I think because families are spread out now, we have to work together for the care of our parents. Yes, there are rules governing Financial and Medical POAs but rules can be bent. My brother asked me if I was OK money wise for Mom. Telling him yes was not violating my Moms privacy and she would not have cared anyway. And if course I told him how Mom was doing and what the doctor said because he lived 7 hrs away. She was his Mom too and again, she would not have cared. The only reason I was POA was because I lived in same town as Mom. If it had been reversed, my brother would have been POA.
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