Emily Lay walks past a banner near her office in the halls of Erlanger hospital. Lay works in the Legal Aid of East Tennessee office at Erlanger, part of the new Health-Law Partnership. Lay assists patients with legal matters that may affect their health or recovery.Questions?Patients of Erlanger hospital with legal questions may contact Emily Lay at 423-778-7807 or elay@laet.org.
Emily Lay sits at a table of doctors, nutrition specialists, billing experts and pastors, listening as the group peels through patients’ problems.
The half-hour weekly roundtable at Erlanger hospital brings a team of varied specialists to train their skills on assigned patients.
While doctors monitor an array of health complications such as blood pressure, weight and diabetes, Lay’s ears perk up at the potential to help someone in need of legal advice.
Since January, Lay has worked as Legal Aid of East Tennessee’s full-time lawyer in Erlanger, helping needy patients who may need a myriad of nonmedical aid such as a power of attorney, applying for social service benefits, working out child custody, writing living wills or obtaining protective orders for domestic violence victims.