Quick question for anyone who has tried to contact their adult child’s psychiatrist. Will the doctor willingly speak with me about my adult child with schizophrenia, or does she have to sign a medical release first?
Most good doctors would like to talk to you but HIPAA laws prevent it.
Legally, they can’t even tell you they are treating your adult child without a release form.
However, you can give them information and they can listen, or read it if you write a letter. I think for the most part, it’s more important for us to give them information on what we see & know than to tell us what’s going on.
Some doctors will have you sit in on the visits to kind of get around the law a little bit.
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I was sitting in at her first appointment after her discharge from hospital. I didn’t push for anything in front of my daughter. (If needed i express my concerns in writing or talk to them without my daughter, but I only say supportive things in front of her) During the conversation with doctor, there was a moment indicating that my daughter was agreeing for them to talk to me. The nurse jumped up (almost literally:) ) and brought in the form and the consent form was signed! Make sure you or the nurse have the consent form handy. Be ready
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