I get HIPAA, but sometimes it sucks. My Grandfather died this morning.

[yardwork]

136. It sounds like a lot of things went wrong - a perfect storm.

HIPAA may end up having little to do with this. It sounds like the main culprit is our notoriously fragmented health care system, particularly the weaknesses in our care system for the vulnerable elderly. Many providers who treat the elderly recognize what a problem it is to ensure that their patients receive appropriate follow-up care. Some hospitals now have teams of geriatricians and social services providers who work together. Their number one goal is to include the family in communication. However, very few hospitals have this level of care.

Adding to the complexity is your grandmother's severe mental health issue. The hospital probably was communicating with her and thought that she would provide the follow-up care for your grandfather, but she was unable to do this effectively and was, in fact, the source of the problem. It sounds like this was not recognized until it was too late.

If I understand what happened correctly, your mother and other family members had been attempting to intervene because they knew that your grandmother was not a healthy caregiver for your grandfather. They were stymied in their efforts somewhat by your grandfather himself, who didn't want to give medical powers to other family members.

I am so sorry for your family's pain. This is heartbreaking.