Now, note that some medical facilities will talk to parents (or adult children of elderly patients) without the signed release or POA. They have the option to do that if they feel, in their judgment, that they should and that they patient won’t file a complaint about it when he comes to. But they do not HAVE TO talk to you and often will not. Better to have the signed documents so you don’t have to rely on the whims of the person you speak to on the phone.