School wants us to sign a crazy medical release form..

[focusondisney]

Sounds like a typical school release form, they haven't change much in decades, while privacy laws have. Reality is, they COULD need this information in an emergency.

Not where I live. I signed medical/ emergency forms for my 2 kids every year. They included emergency contact & back up contact info, plus things like allergies & current meds. They never included access to my child's complete medical record or pediatrician's records. The info they woukd need in a true emergency is included. Paramedics would have enough info to treat. Any other info contained in a medical record would NOT be needed for an emergency. Again, I have been an RN for 35 years. If the school nurse thinks there is a true medical emergency, her call should be to paramedics, not the pediatrician to access medical records.

 

[sam_gordon]

Sounds like a typical school release form, they haven't change much in decades, while privacy laws have. Reality is, they COULD need this information in an emergency.

Can you please give a sample situation where this information would be needed in an emergency?

 

[shortbun]

Sounds like a typical school release form, they haven't change much in decades, while privacy laws have. Reality is, they COULD need this information in an emergency.

Never has been 'typical' around here. Doctor names and phone numbers is as far as we've gone-oh and immunization records for incoming students.

 

[bgirldeb]

That would make me uncomfortable.

That information is none of the nurse's or school's business. If there was a medical condition they needed to know about, such as an allergy, epilepsy, etc., you would have provided that information already, and an immunization record would have been provided when registering.

 

[cabanafrau]

Not an attorney but I think HIPPA is the reason for that line, so they CAN release the information.

HIPPA strikes terror in the hearts of medical providers, mostly because it is not very well understood. Medical providers tend to err on the side of not providing information until they have consulted legal counsel in most cases, even in situations involving court subpoenas. As a general rule the only ones w/ access to much of a patient's medical records are the health insurance company, period. Bringing someone's medical records into a court of law is a very involved process. The odds of a school nurse accessing information are next to none. Not saying I would sign that release, merely that the school is generating useless paperwork.

We don't have school nurses here, but if we did I would be raising a holy stink over her questioning of my kid's diagnosis and treatment. If she believed OP's child had a communicable disease that raised an issue with the other students, wouldn't the proper course of action be for her to raise that issue with the health department? Several years ago my oldest came down w/ breakthrough chicken pox. She had had the first immunization as a toddler & they were ironically at that very time meeting about adopting a requirement for a booster vaccination in the teens/tweens. She beat it to the punch & when I called the school to report her absence & reported she had the pox, they reported to the health dept., who then followed up w/ me later to gather info. for their reports. I'm sure a school nurse could contact the health dept. & report her suspicions -- however it would reflect badly on her when hospitalization, diagnosis & medical treatment for the illness were verified -- uncovering her overstepping to others in the medical community.

 

[tvguy]

Can you please give a sample situation where this information would be needed in an emergency?

Name almost any emergency, it has the potential. Bee sting, food allergy, amputation, good lord........747 crashing into the school.
I haven't been been involved in Youth sports in about 10 years, but was standard on our sign up forms.

 

[RitaE]

I wouldn't sign it. I've struggled with our school nurse on a couple of instances where she has tried to insert herself into diagnosis and treatment. I've also struggled with her disagreeing with my child's Doctor in certain situations and way overstepping her authority.

But as for the form

#1. The child's primary care Doctor and other regular providers should be on file in case of an emergency - especially if the parents are not reachable.

#2. Completely unnecessary. If the school nurse feels that a school employee should be made aware of medical information, then he/she can contact the parent and discuss the parent sharing that information with the school employee.

#3. No. Medical privacy laws exist for a reason. There is no reason for a school to have unhindered access to a student's medical files. I will also add that while there is good control on file access in most medical offices, the same is not necessarily true for most school offices. While they are supposed to keep student health information under lock and key (digital or otherwise) compliance in some cases is quite spotty.

 

[scrapquitler]

Yesterday my 4th grade daughter brought home an orange medical emergency form which was followed by a phone call from the principal stating that parents needed to fill out the form and return it asap. We have already filled out a similar one at the beginning of the year which just had emergency contact information.

Well this form is causing a major stir with the parents because of what type of information they want. I am ok with them wanting the names and number of my childrens' pediatrician and dentist but they also want insurance information for both.. all of their doctors have this information on file, so I dont understand why the school needs this..

the biggest problem is that there are 3 medical releases on the back that they want us to sign.

( these are slightly paraphrased because I dont have the form anymore)

#1 if my child has an emergency and they cannot reach me they are allowed to contact my child's doctor for a referral.

My doctor isn't going to give a 'referral' for an emergency. The appropriate action in an emergency is to get the child to an ER
#2 i allow the school nurse to give ANY school personnel any medical information about my child, that she feels important.
Um, No. Though if my child had an allergy or condition (like athsma) it would be appropriate.

#3 I give the school nurse permission to have unlimited access any of my childrens medical records (not limited to, information about appointments, referrals, physicals, lab results, immunization records, phone calls)
No. She doesn't need that. And the doctor wouldn't give her access anyway, unless I signed a HiPPA form

#3 is what angers me the most. I dont want the school to have unlimited access to that information and honestly I dont know how they can even get that information without me signing a HIPPA release form at the doctors but I still refused to sign any of them?

Would you have signed it?

No I wouldn't have signed it. And I would be questioning why they sent this form home mid year and why it appears to be so urgent.

Oh, and I would tell them the name of the insurance carrier (Anthem Blue Cross, in my case) but I wouldn't tell them the policy number. They don't need it. But I also never provide a social security number, either.

 

[tvguy]

This is what the local school district here uses, and it appears this release is there.

http://bellavistacheer.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/EmergencyEard.pd

HOWEVER, THIS FORM DOES GIVE PARENTS THE OPTION OF NOT ALLOWING THE RELEASE OF MEDICAL INFORMATION. BUT THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA, WHERE LAWS ARE DIFFERENT.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

No I wouldn't have signed it. And I would be questioning why they sent this form home mid year and why it appears to be so urgent.

Oh, and I would tell them the name of the insurance carrier (Anthem Blue Cross, in my case) but I wouldn't tell them the policy number. They don't need it. But I also never provide a social security number, either.

I know Medicare uses your SSN but I thought private insurance companies had done away with that. Do they still use your SSN number as your policy number?

 

[sam_gordon]

Name almost any emergency, it has the potential. Bee sting, food allergy, amputation, good lord........747 crashing into the school.
I haven't been been involved in Youth sports in about 10 years, but was standard on our sign up forms.

OK, lets say a child gets stung by a bee at recess. How does the nurse having access to medical RECORDS helpful? If the child is allergic to bees, that should already be disclosed. If the child is allergic but the doctor doesn't know, that doesn't help. Do you want the nurse to wait to administer first aid until SHE gets the records? Shouldn't she just call the pediatrician, explain she's the school nurse, "Suzy" got stung by a bee and what should she do?

 

[focusondisney]

Name almost any emergency, it has the potential. Bee sting, food allergy, amputation, good lord........747 crashing into the school.
I haven't been been involved in Youth sports in about 10 years, but was standard on our sign up forms.

In none of those situations would a medical professional be taking the time to go thru the past office records. In a true medical emergency, the child would be being treated & stabilized by PARAMEDICS! Who would not have access to the complete past medical record!! After the child is stabilized & transported to a hospital if necessary, past medical records would be accessed if needed. The school nurse does not need access to complete medical record for an emergency. Especially one who has already proven to be trying to second guess a child's medical care.

Allergies to drugs, food or bee stings are different & already known by the school. Nobody is saying the school shouldn't be told about those. The objection is to the nurse having complete access to every past test, office visit or diagnosis the child has had. Noone except the patient & doctor truely need that. Heck, once the kid turns 18, even the parent doesn't get that access.

 

[tvguy]

Not where I live. I signed medical/ emergency forms for my 2 kids every year. They included emergency contact & back up contact info, plus things like allergies & current meds. They never included access to my child's complete medical record or pediatrician's records. The info they woukd need in a true emergency is included. Paramedics would have enough info to treat. Any other info contained in a medical record would NOT be needed for an emergency. Again, I have been an RN for 35 years. If the school nurse thinks there is a true medical emergency, her call should be to paramedics, not the pediatrician to access medical records.

Fortunately never had to deal with it with my kids. I did unfortuantely have to deal with it beginng this year with my mom. Had her in the ER and the medical release she had on file gave me access to all her information.
Same with her medical COVERAGE. However, I had to get power of attorney later to get that same insurance company's business operations to tell me whether her PREMIUMS were up to date.

 

[RitaE]

This is what the local school district here uses, and it appears this release is there.

http://bellavistacheer.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/EmergencyEard.pd

HOWEVER, THIS FORM DOES GIVE PARENTS THE OPTION OF NOT ALLOWING THE RELEASE OF MEDICAL INFORMATION. BUT THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA, WHERE LAWS ARE DIFFERENT.

Am I missing it because I don't see anywhere on that form that gives the School Nurse permission to give private medical information to any other school personnel or where the school has permission to request student medical files from health providers without going through the parents.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Name almost any emergency, it has the potential. Bee sting, food allergy, amputation, good lord........747 crashing into the school.
I haven't been been involved in Youth sports in about 10 years, but was standard on our sign up forms.

Why would the school nurse need full access to all of the medical records?

 

[focusondisney]

Fortunately never had to deal with it with my kids. I did unfortuantely have to deal with it beginng this year with my mom. Had her in the ER and the medical release she had on file gave me access to all her information.
Same with her medical COVERAGE. However, I had to get power of attorney later to get that same insurance company's business operations to tell me whether her PREMIUMS were up to date.

Yes. You are her next of kin. You should have it. The school nurse has no legal decisions or long term care decisions to make. She has only to provide emergency care til the child is stabilized, the parent is contacted or paramedics arrive. The child's past routine medical records are not needed for that.

 

[scrapquitler]

I know Medicare uses your SSN but I thought private insurance companies had done away with that. Do they still use your SSN number as your policy number?

No, SSN not part of our insurance id number. But ALL the school forms here (medical and registration and emergency contact forms) all ask for the social security number of the child (and I think the registration form asked for the parent's too), and I always leave that blank. The school secretary gave me a hard time that I didn't fill it out on the registration form.

 

[rgf207]

Not an attorney but I think HIPPA is the reason for that line, so they CAN release the information.

Not really. Each Dr. office has their own release form. It doesn't matter if the school has one that says yes, the Dr. will not and cannot release the info unless the parent has the school listed on their form.

 

[tiggger1]

Small Update.

I had to bring my ds5 to the ped because I thought he has strep ( and he does) and I asked the office staff about the form.

The head office manager said they only thing that form will get the school is that the office will be able fax immunization forms or physicals to the school and that is ONLY if the parent requests its. They cannot give any information to ANYONE unless the parent signs a form from the office. She also said that if the school nurse tried to get any information even with the forms signed the office would first contact the parent for permission each and every time. They suggested that I do not sign anything until I speak with the school. I did send in a note saying I was not comfortable signing anything at this time.

 

[luvsJack]

I am just curious---why would some of you be so against signing the form?

What would be the issue with the nurse or any other school employee having your child's medical history? DD had mono in 6th grade and has strep almost yearly, she has a type of allergy that causes her to break out in hives when she goes from one extreme temp to another, she has a low normal temp so what would be just above normal for some people would be a low grade temp for her, she has seasonal allergies. That is basically all they would see and I wouldn't really have an issue with it at all, so I am confused as to why anyone would be upset by it.

Same with insurance information. Why is it an issue? For a child to participate in basically anything at school, proof of insurance has to be provided. So, I have sent several copies of dd's insurance card down. Not sure what would be the problem with them having that?

I like being assured that if there is an emergency and if for some strange unknown reason, let's say they have to contact my sister or dd's brothers instead of me the school will have the necessary information to have her treated rather than trying to make sure that all of her emergency contacts have that information.