Our parents still live at home and the care aide takes them to doctor's appointments as needed. Issue is they do not write the results down or tell family. They only care for each parent 8 hours a week. My parent's memory is bad. I am enduring POA and still do medical treatment on wounds etc the other hours of the week. Doctors surgery says well you should come with him & won't give information to me, POA? I work a job and can't get time off for this. What are my options?
The aides should not be sharing confidential medical information with family members, again, without your parents' express consent. Shouldn't stop them writing down results, I agree... But quite honestly you'd do better to get those direct from the doctor anyway, for the sake of accuracy.
You can refill medications through the portal as well as ask their providers questions, etc. It may be a gray area as far as HIPPA but if you have their permission to set up the acct for them it may be ok.
I remember taking my parents to the primary doctor, I usually got back to back appointments since I had to take time off, anyway. I would go into the exam room with both parents. Afterwards on the way home, my parents would sit in the back seat and discuss their doctor appointment. After listening to them, was I at the same appointment they were??? Both of them had things so mixed up. Oh dear.
Once my Dad had a regular daily caregiver, she was more than happy to drive Dad to his doctor. She would go into the exam room and introduce herself as the "caregiver". After getting Dad back home, she would call me to discuss the appointment.
It all depends on the caregiver and if she/he is comfortable with doctor appointments.
The patient portal is a great way to get accurate info.
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