I live 1500 miles from mom. I will need to get the doctor's name from my sister and have tried; so far no luck. I need to know if I am legally in my rights to get a release from my mom for me to talk directly to her doctor instead of waiting for my sister to answer my questions. My sister and I are both named in all of my mother's legal documents as co-trustees, including her healthcare directive.
After you have the access that you dearly want, be sure to schedule in-person visits with your mom, not just phone calls! There is SO MUCH that cannot be understood over the phone. I suggest you set aside at least a week, once a year, or 3 or 4 weekend visits spread over the course of the year. Also set aside an emergency transportation fund in your personal savings, so that if need be, you can fly out to be at your mom's bedside if she is urgently ill.
If you are not prepared to spend ACTUAL IN PERSON time with your mom, then please do not pursue too much involvement, unless your sister is clearly doing an inadequate job, it is much more efficient all around to just have the local relative handle the communications with doctors. Remember these doctors and facilities are so very busy, and they really do not like having to repeat the same info twice.
So go ahead, and be involved---but don't be lukewarm about it! Embrace the caregiving, in a REAL, substantive way. If you cannot do this, then step aside.
But since the OP hasn't been back to comment...
This should go to admissions to be scanned into her chart profile.
I just went through this again.
They shreded his file when they did illegal discharge.
Thats not fun, and its not all your fault, but you two have to look at this as well.