Does a hospital have a notary on staff?

Does a Hospital have a Notary on Staff?

If you are asked to notarize for hospital patients and their families, please keep in mind some of the challenges that you may be faced to deal with. Patients in the hospital may be very ill, hooked up to machines, are not able to physically move or communicate, may not have valid identification, or their families may be in a lot of distress. Notarizing for hospital patients takes a lot of patience and understanding. Be prepared to spend a little more extra time at the signing due to these or other circumstances. Or, depending on the type of services you specialize in as a Notary, hospital notary work can be rewarding.

Does every hospital have an onsite notary?

It depends on the hospital policies and procedures within different regions, however, most notarization requests for hospital patients come from family members. The Notary is usually not affiliated with the hospital. A Mobile Notary, or “traveling notaries” are best fit for these requests because they bring their services to the patient. Most hospitals have onsite Social Workers who may be called upon to assist with finding a notary, however, in most instances, the family is tasked to research this request on their own. Notary services for hospital patients are almost always hired externally.

What are the most common notarization requests for hospital patients?

Power of Attorney documents and Wills are at the top of the list. Why? Families need legal authorization to take care of financial, medical or other personal affairs with a patient who may be incapable of making these decisions on their own, or patients are faced with a terminal medical issue and now they need someone to take care of their affairs

Health Care Proxy paperwork and HIPPA forms are the next two important most requested documents for notary services. These documents give families legal authority to make important medical decisions on the patient’s behalf. They give families authorization to be informed about the patient’s medical history.

Next are bank forms and financial transactions for mortgage and other financial decisions, or assignment of personal real property.

These documents are not binding unless a notary signs on it. The seal of the Notary authenticates the document

Tips for performing hospital notarizations

Call and confirm the number of signers who will be present. During that first initial call, confirm that all signers are able to sign without assistance, and confirm that they have valid identification to present.

The other most important best practice is to verify the type of document(s) that need to be signed. Some states may have different terms and conditions, or certain requirements on how the document should be signed. Be sure to always check your specific state laws on the proper way to perform this and other types of notarizations.

Signers should be alert and aware of what is going on, they must be able to sign without assistance from a family member. They must appear competent and should not appear to be affected by any medications that are interfering with their ability to understand and comprehend what is occurring. If this is the case when you arrive, do not continue with the signing and explain the reason for refusal to the family.

The documents should be completed before-hand with no missing or blank spaces. Witnesses , if required, should be present and 18 years of age or older. The identity for all signers should be properly verified by the notary before the notarization begin.

Hospital notarizations are very common requests. You may be faced to handle patient accommodations so remember to prepare yourself as much as possible beforehand so that you can provide a hassle-free service.

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Please remember that I am not a lawyer and cannot provide legal advice.