Great news! I almost immediately received a response from Sylvia Gray, so it looks like I have her email address logged correctly.
Sylvia said:
I am receiving your emails. I don’t have anything significant to report at this time.
I did receive an email from [my sister] which I will try to address today.
I did speak with [my brother-in-law] who has offered to assist in any way. In order for us to speak with him, it’s necessary that he be placed on the HIPAA list. Are you in agreement that he be placed on that list if he is not already?
Thanks.
I replied:
Dear Sylvia,
Great! Okay. Thanks! I just wanted to make sure they were getting to you. My mom was at a facility — Stewart-Marchman — in December and January of last year and they were terrible about responding to emails, so I was just being cautious.
[Name redacted] is my brother-in-law. He is the husband of [name redacted], who is my wife’s sister.
Yes, I authorize you to share information with:
- my brother-in-law [name redacted]
- my sister-in-law [name redacted]
- my wife, [name redacted]
- my sister, [name redacted]
- a friend of the family, [name redacted]
- my uncle, [name redacted]
I am only authorizing you to share information with these people, though. I am the only one who should be authorized to make any DECISIONS at all.
Please confirm that everyone at your facility understands that NOBODY other than myself is allowed to make any decisions regarding my mother’s care, medications, finances, or belongings in any way at all.
If there is any confusion about this at all — or if you think it will confuse people to have those other family members listed on my mom’s chart — then I would rather be safe than sorry and simply remove every name except my own and force anyone to get clearance from me each time if they want information. I am available 24/7 via my mobile phone, so there is no reason for anyone to be discussing my mother’s care without me.
Thanks so much,
David Vincent Gagne