Re: Are there any legal implications with support groups where you are?

[Guest guest]

ette,

I've not heard of that either for support groups of any type. I know of a COPD support group that meets at my church here in NC. Probably 25% or so of the folks in that group are on O2 and there is no medical personell in attendance. I suppose it's possible that some meeting places might put that requirement in place in an effort to reduce their liability but I don't know of any laws requiring this. At least not in NC or where I used to live in NY.

Beth

Age 48 Fibrotic NSIP 06/06

Change everything. Love and Forgive

Are there any legal implications with support groups where you are?

I have a client whose husband is on 6 to 8 liters of O2. He is a pulmonary fibrosis patient. They live in land. We are trying to get a PF support group going in the area they live in.She tells me this: "Dear ette, It is my understanding that a pulmonary therapist must be in attendance at the meetings. As a teacher, I know that certain guyidelines of protection have to be provided for those in attendance so that the place where the meeting is held will not be held liable.. J."I have never heard that for any support group. She says it is because of the oxygen usage. We don't have that problem here. One of my PH clients has to have 8 liters who comes when she is up to it.Question: Do you know anything about this in?Thanx!etteBFYLNew Castle, DE

[Guest guest]

ette

I've not heard of such a thing. Write Leanne at Pulmonary Fibrosis

Foundation and she can give you some info on starting a group. However,

the one thing to make clear in that or any setting is that anyone

leading the group is just a facilitator and not a nurse or doctor and

not giving medical advice.

Now I'm not a lawyer, but I do believe that if anything the potential

liability a pulmonary therapist might face would be greater than a

layperson. If the layperson makes it clear they aren't a professional,

then minimum liability. A therapist might be considered to be a

professional and, therefore, giving medical advice if they don't

strongly disclaim it. Therefore, as a professional they carry a higher

risk of liability.

As to the place renting or loaning space being liable thats stretching

it. Now, can they be sued? Of course, anyone can. But thats like saying

if someone rents you an office space they are liable for all your acts.

On the other hand if someone dies or something anywhere, the meeting

included, there is always risk of an attempt to hold the building owner

liable for something. If a person passed out from low oxygen in the

lobby of a hotel and fell and hit their head they could try to hold the

hotel liable. But if they did the same without oxygen, they could do so.

I don't see how the oxygen usage changes a thing.

>

> I have a client whose husband is on 6 to 8 liters of O2. He is a

> pulmonary fibrosis patient. They live in land. We are trying to

> get a PF support group going in the area they live in.

>

> She tells me this: " Dear ette, It is my understanding that a

> pulmonary therapist must be in attendance at the meetings. As a

> teacher, I know that certain guyidelines of protection have to be

> provided for those in attendance so that the place where the meeting

> is held will not be held liable.. J. "

>

> I have never heard that for any support group. She says it is because

> of the oxygen usage. We don't have that problem here. One of my PH

> clients has to have 8 liters who comes when she is up to it.

>

> Question: Do you know anything about this in?

>

> Thanx!

> ette

> BFYL

> New Castle, DE

>

[Guest guest]

ette... There is more than one type of "Support Group". At the support group I used to attend in the hospital ,there was always a RT in attendance. I believe it's mandatory. Not only because many there are using O2 but because an RT has correct information.

A 'support group' as we are here on the board is different. We are supporting each other through a common disease and most always, however, we get accurate information from each other.

Hope this helps a bit..............

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Are there any legal implications with support groups where you are?

I have a client whose husband is on 6 to 8 liters of O2. He is a pulmonary fibrosis patient. They live in land. We are trying to get a PF support group going in the area they live in.She tells me this: "Dear ette, It is my understanding that a pulmonary therapist must be in attendance at the meetings. As a teacher, I know that certain guyidelines of protection have to be provided for those in attendance so that the place where the meeting is held will not be held liable.. J."I have never heard that for any support group. She says it is because of the oxygen usage. We don't have that problem here. One of my PH clients has to have 8 liters who comes when she is up to it.Question: Do you know anything about this in?Thanx!etteBFYLNew Castle, DE

[Guest guest]

Bruce....one quick addition before I rush out the door to rehab.....it depends on who is "sponsoring " a support group. If the hospital 'sponsors' then they have to have qualified staff person there. If people want to get together and then they find a place to meet, that's a different story.

Gotta go.

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: Are there any legal implications with support groups where you are?

etteI've not heard of such a thing. Write Leanne at Pulmonary FibrosisFoundation and she can give you some info on starting a group. However,the one thing to make clear in that or any setting is that anyoneleading the group is just a facilitator and not a nurse or doctor andnot giving medical advice.Now I'm not a lawyer, but I do believe that if anything the potentialliability a pulmonary therapist might face would be greater than alayperson. If the layperson makes it clear they aren't a professional,then minimum liability. A therapist might be considered to be aprofessional and, therefore, giving medical advice if they don'tstrongly disclaim it. Therefore, as a professional they carry a higherrisk of liability.As to the place renting or loaning space being liable thats stretchingit. Now, can they be sued? Of course, anyone can. But thats like sayingif someone rents you an office space they are liable for all your acts.On the other hand if someone dies or something anywhere, the meetingincluded, there is always risk of an attempt to hold the building ownerliable for something. If a person passed out from low oxygen in thelobby of a hotel and fell and hit their head they could try to hold thehotel liable. But if they did the same without oxygen, they could do so.I don't see how the oxygen usage changes a thing.>> I have a client whose husband is on 6 to 8 liters of O2. He is a> pulmonary fibrosis patient. They live in land. We are trying to> get a PF support group going in the area they live in.>> She tells me this: "Dear ette, It is my understanding that a> pulmonary therapist must be in attendance at the meetings. As a> teacher, I know that certain guyidelines of protection have to be> provided for those in attendance so that the place where the meeting> is held will not be held liable.. J.">> I have never heard that for any support group. She says it is because> of the oxygen usage. We don't have that problem here. One of my PH> clients has to have 8 liters who comes when she is up to it.>> Question: Do you know anything about this in?>> Thanx!> ette> BFYL> New Castle, DE>

[Guest guest]

Sher

Very true. If a hospital is putting on the group and running it then

there automatically could be a legal assumption as to what took place

and any advice given. So, they would feel the need to protect

themselves. This is very different from a group of people renting a

facility and the support group led by a layperson without affiliation.

>

> ette... There is more than one type of " Support Group " . At the

support group I used to attend in the hospital ,there was always a RT in

attendance. I believe it's mandatory. Not only because many there are

using O2 but because an RT has correct information.

> A 'support group' as we are here on the board is different. We are

supporting each other through a common disease and most always, however,

we get accurate information from each other.

> Hope this helps a bit..............

>

> Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.

> Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

>

> Are there any legal implications with

support groups where you are?

>

>

> I have a client whose husband is on 6 to 8 liters of O2. He is a

> pulmonary fibrosis patient. They live in land. We are trying to

> get a PF support group going in the area they live in.

>

> She tells me this: " Dear ette, It is my understanding that a

> pulmonary therapist must be in attendance at the meetings. As a

> teacher, I know that certain guyidelines of protection have to be

> provided for those in attendance so that the place where the meeting

> is held will not be held liable.. J. "

>

> I have never heard that for any support group. She says it is because

> of the oxygen usage. We don't have that problem here. One of my PH

> clients has to have 8 liters who comes when she is up to it.

>

> Question: Do you know anything about this in?

>

> Thanx!

> ette

> BFYL

> New Castle, DE

>