Hubby has just come back from the service meeting where they have been handed out brand new style blood cards, now called 'Advance Decision to Refuse Specified Medical Treatment'

It's quite a bit different. And has the line on it about giving permission to the hospital liason committee to see your notes and medical records.. very scary stuff I think, and I certainly wont be filling one in.

I'm really short of time tonight, but will scan it in, along with the notes that go with it and try and post it some time over the next day or so if someone else doesn't beat me to it!

Poppy x

*yikes*

~Merry

Note the original poster is in Great Britain.

We'll have to wait to see if there are any changes in the US card.

Anyone who doesn't want to have this stipulation honored should CROSS IT OUT ON THE BLOOD CARD and INITIAL & DATE IT BEFORE SIGNING IT AND HAVING IT WITNESSED.

It should look something like this:

I hereby authorize members of Jehovah's Witnesses Hospital Liaison Committee to have access to my medical records. XYZ 12/20/2005

I didn't think I could get any more disgusted by the WTS than I already am.  But I was wrong.

Here is a quote from their own publications:

"The patient has the right to . . . expect that all communications and records pertaining to his care will be treated as confidential" [Awake!, March 8, 1991, p. 7]

That line on the blood card is an open invitation for people who have no right to private health care information to gain access to your private health care information.  And that access could extend to far more than just a hospital visit - if the hospital requests to have records transferred from other institutions, doctors offices, etc. (they sometimes do to get a complete history on a patient) the HLC will have all your information available to them.  You DON'T WANT THAT.

Poppy,

PLEASE scan and post. I will take the picture and host on a Web site so that we don't lose that. UBM's need to see it so they can discuss with their mates what the legal ramifications of the contract are.

I hope they screw themselves with this thing.

Respectfully,
AuldSoul

Any card in the US if different will be due to differences in legal requirements not "scriptural" requirements.

Wow... that is scary.  For some time now I've taken comfort in the fact that doctors say that 50% of JWs will secretly accept blood products while putting on a "No Blood!" show for any JWs who may be present. 

Hey, Blondie, I see you got home alright!  I'll bet the U.S. version has the same language due to HIPPA laws.  The last time Jackson was in the hospital (our 9-year-old), they gave me a 4-digit passcode to use to check on him.  I could give that code to anyone who had permission to find out how he was, and if someone didn't have that code -- even a family member -- the hospital wouldn't release any information on his condition.

What arrogance to demand that right!

Nina

I'd think the power of attorney would have greater clout.

Perhaps some of the chaps here could send a scan of that card to these people!

http://www3.baylor.edu/Church_State/jcs_recent_issues.htm

Cheers!