The following is a guest post by Dan Jacobs, director of Marketing for Via Christi Health in Wichita.
After seven years of trips that were kid-centric, my wife and I are finally taking a much needed vacation — just the two of us. While we are away, grandma and grandpa will be caring for our four children. Since grandma and grandpa are not legally the primary caregivers, I was concerned about them authorizing medical treatment in the event of an emergency. I got some advice from Nancy Ketchum, Director of Patient Access for Via Christi Hospitals in Wichita.
According to Nancy, when leaving a child with someone who is not the primary caregiver, it’s important to provide a consent form allowing for medical treatment. A consent form, such as a medical release form, is a document that temporarily entrusts medical treatment decisions to a temporary caregiver. It is important to provide this form regardless of whether the temporary caregiver is a grandparent, other relative or an unrelated babysitter. In the event of an emergency, a consent form that includes the appropriate information can help save time and ensure your child gets the care he or she needs quickly.
There are a number of printable Medical Release Forms for Children available online, so be sure you select one that includes:
- The child’s name, date of birth, medical conditions, food allergies and any medications
- All parent, physician, dentist and emergency contact information
- A statement of consent that is signed and notarized
