TAUNTON COUNCIL ON AGING, 30 OLNEY STREET, TAUNTON, MA
TELEPHONE: 508-821-1425
HEALTH
Hospital or Physician
This is a brief outline of the different types of medical documents. If you are planning to go into the hospital, some of the information you may want to be familiar with is listed below. If you do not understand anything that is handed to you to sign in the hospital you should ask for an explanation by a hospital staff member.
Health Care Proxy - A health care proxy is a simple legal document that allows you to name someone you know and trust to make health care decisions for you if, for any reason and at any time, you become unable to make or communicate those decisions.
Under the Health Care Proxy Law any competent adult 18 years of age or older may use the proxy form to appoint a Health Care Agent. Your agent will make decisions about your health care only when you are, for some reason, unable to do that yourself. This means that your Agent can act for you if you are temporarily unconscious, in a coma, or have some other condition in which you cannot make or communicate health care decisions. Your agent cannot act for you until your doctor determines, in writing, that you lack the ability to make health care decisions.
Privacy Practices - This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
Hospitals are required by law to make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private, give you the privacy notice of the hospitals duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you and follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the hospital by contacting their Patient Relations Director. All complaints must be submitted in writing.
Medical Malpractice - The basic definition of medical malpractice is an act or omission by a health care provider that deviates from accepted standards of practice in the medical community and causes injury to the patient.
To file a consumer complaint against a Massachusetts Physician or Acupuncturist consumers should contact: Board of Registration in Medicine, 560 Harrison Avenue, Suite G-4, Boston, MA 02118 or call 1-800-377-0550.
Employees of Department of Human Services/Taunton Council on Aging are available to assist residents of Taunton with the completion of program applications. This assistance is available in the languages of English and Portuguese.
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