Getting Healthcare Documents in Place During COVID-19

The difficulties associated with health during the Covid 19 pandemic include everything from choosing the right mask to wear to managing healthcare documents. This latter task is essential for hospice patients who may experience different issues due to the quarantine rules and higher risk of infection. Learning to get your healthcare documents in place take some of the worry out of the situation because everyone is ready for any unique possibilities.

What Healthcare Documents to Get

It can be difficult to work with medical centers or eldercare attorneys during the quarantine period. Very few nonessential businesses are open although lawyers are still available in most cases. However, the last thing you want to do is go out frequently to meetings when you have a family member or other loved one in delicate health.

Everyone should have a basic estate plan and will written up and authorized when they are still able to do so. Financial and legal power of attorney should be established as soon as possible so the person in hospice does not have to worry about their money. From a healthcare perspective, a medical power of attorney is an important part of the process, too. This gives a trusted individual the right to make treatment decisions for the other person.

How to Start the Document Process

First, establish with the person receiving the care if they have a will or any of this paperwork already. In the best-case scenarios, important healthcare documents already exist at home or in a safe deposit box at a bank or other institution. Make sure any powers of attorney or legal directives are in good standing and accurate for the person’s current wishes.

If this type of paperwork is not available, you need to do some legwork to get everything on hand. With the Covid 19 situation affecting the world today, and self-isolation and business closure rules in place, doing so could be quite difficult. First, identify a nearby attorney’s office that offers business hours and can get you an appointment as soon as possible. Second, gather all necessary information they tell you to bring when discussing any of these topics.

One of the most difficult issues with healthcare documentation handling is the fact that the person receiving hospice or palliative care may not be able to go to the attorney’s office or other place to help handle the transfer of power or process with you. Since this person is undoubtedly in poor health, the last thing you want to do is expose them to the potential for viral infection.

Consider Virtual Meetings and Online Document Requests

In many cases, attorneys and even notaries can meet with the people involved in the documentation process from a distance. Things like Zoom meetings and videoconferencing have changed the way some of this health care and legal business happens. All you need is Internet access and a video camera like the one on your smartphone to handle healthcare documentation business during Covid 19.