Medical Ethics Question concerning a plot point from The Big Sick [spoiler]

Cafe Society
1

In the film, Emily is at the hospital in very serious condition, and can’t respond coherently, so her doctor says a family member needs to sign something to put her into a medically induced coma.

Several times the doctor asks Kumail “are you her husband?” in a way that clearly indicates he knows Kumail isn’t her husband, but wants Kumail to sign as though he is.

As presented in the scene, a breach of professional ethics though I can see the larger ethical argument justifying it.

My question is more factual though–does this actually happen? With any regularity? Doctors actively asking people to pretend to be relatives to get around red tape?

2

I’m not a doctor, but I’ve had EMT partners who have done that very thing. It’s not hard for me to believe that a doctor would do so, though I imagine it’s rarely happened.

3

When my spouse was dying I did have several people question if we were legally married or not. As it happens, we were. I wound up signing on his behalf and giving or withholding permissions for a bunch of things. It was not fun.