What should students do with their documents?
Originals: Keep the originals in a safe, accessible place. Students should let their family, close friends, roommates. resident advisor and/or residence hall director know that they have these documents and where they can find them in case of the emergency.
Copies/Electronic versions: Students should give a copy to the people they listed as agents in the power of attorney and/or living will, and those you listed as personal representatives (and guardians if appropriate) if they drafted a will. We recommend students send the documents to these people via email and suggest that they save them in a specific folder in their email for easy access. Let these people know where student keeps the originals of the documents.
Phone: Make sure student's medical ID on your phone is up-to-date with appropriate emergency contact information. Here are further instructions for doing so: Android and Apple.
University:
- MyBuckMD: The University does not have a system to accept and store these documents in one place, in advance. Students can, however, upload their documents to the MyBuckMD portal for Student Health Services. Students can also add emergency contacts in the portal. Information about the MyBuckMD portal can be found here: https://shs.osu.edu/my-buckmd1.
- Access to Student Health Services health records: To obtain student's health record, or information about care from SHS, students must complete their health records release authorization form. For more information and to find the form, visit: https://shs.osu.edu/services/health-records.
Are there other documents SLS can draft for students?
While the Healthcare Power of Attorney is decidedly the most important document your student should drive, SLS can also draft, or provide, these additional documents for your student.
Financial Power of Attorney: allows someone to manage financial matters on their behalf.
Declaration for Mental Health Treatment: outlines preferences and authorizes treatment specifically for mental health care. We recommend this document only in specific situations. Click here for more information about the Declaration and who should draft one.
HIPAA Release: permits the release of protected health information to designated individuals. SLS provides a sample HIPPA release when we send your student's completed documents.
Additional important information
Cost: Ohio State students enrolled on Columbus campus are automatically enrolled in the SLS program and charged the annual SLS fee participation fee. Unless a student waives the fee, they are eligible for services. There is no additional cost beyond the annual SLS participation fee for the document services.
Effectiveness of documents outside Ohio: Generally, a power of attorney that is valid when you sign it in one state is valid when you are in a different state. When you move to a new state permanently, we recommend you review and update your overall estate plan.
Emergency situations: The healthcare power of attorney and medical release forms are generally only meant to be used and presented to a school or hospital in the event of an emergency.
Non-emergency access to records:
- Healthcare Power of Attorney: The HPOA does contain language that if initialed by the student would allow for their agent to obtain protected health care information immediately and at any future time. This means that agents can obtain this information, even if it is not an emergency. But, even if the student allowed their agent to obtain this information in the healthcare power of attorney, a medical provider may still require the student to complete and sign their specific form. The student will need to follow their instructions.
- HIPPA release: We can provide you with a general HIPPA release. Please note that each medical provider may require the student to complete their specific form. The student should follow their instructions.
- FERPA release: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (otherwise known as FERPA), sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records. FERPA governs release of records maintained by an educational institution and access to those records. For information about how to authorize the release of information, visit https://registrar.osu.edu/policies-information/privacy-and-release-of-student-record-information-ferpa/. Scroll down the page to the Authorization to release information section and then select the link to complete the Student Information Release.