September 24, 2018

An eighteen-year old was hospitalized at the Hospital/Clinic. She and her parents were not satisfied with the care they were receiving, and repeatedly asked for her to be transferred. There was a question as to whether or not the eighteen-year old had the capacity to make her own medical decisions. The hospital refused to let her transfer to another hospital, even after the family lawyer wrote a letter asking the well known hospital to make the arrangements.

Apparently without notifying the parents or the eighteen-year old patient, hospital personnel had gone to two county adult protection agencies to file for guardianship arrangements. The eighteen-year old’s parents ultimately “broke” the teen out of the hospital as nurses attempted to grab the patient from the parents’ car.

The hospital called the police department and reported that they had a “patient abduction.” Her parents said that “There was no abduction. This was done under her own will.” The patient and her parents “escaped” to a hospital in a neighboring state, and received the medical care they desired.

This incredible real life tragic turn of events could have been easily avoided with a carefully prepared Power of Attorney for Health Care.

Every person eighteen years or older should have a power of attorney for health care. A medical power of attorney, sometimes known as a durable power of attorney for health care, is a legal document granting authority to another person to make health care decisions for a patient, should the patient lose the ability to make decisions for him-self or her-self. Clair Law Offices can customize a power of attorney for health care for you.