As our patients mature into adolescents, it is important for them to take more responsibility for their own health care. While we feel that parents’ input is vitally important, our primary concern is for the adolescent and his/her special needs. We, therefore, encourage our adolescent patients to speak with us directly about all topics and concerns. In order to encourage open, honest discussion, it is our policy to keep all information provided by the adolescent confidential with the exception of issues that may be life-threatening to the adolescent or others. For patients older than 18 years old, all medical information will be communicated with the patient directly.
Some patients, however, may wish that we communicate specific information with their parents. Patients older than 18 years old will be asked to complete an Adolescent Confidentiality / Release Form that grants or denies our pediatricians and office staff permission to discuss with the patient’s parents certain issues related to the patient’s medical care (i.e. appointment scheduling, medication refills, referrals, etc).
