![]() “UM Health-West has a Permission to Discuss form that the patient can fill out and add anyone with whom their doctor may discuss their medical information.” (Unless you sign an authorization form for your child’s medical record.) You cannot do this for them anymore, due to privacy laws. ![]() “The biggest change is that an 18-year-old has to make his or her own appointments and manage their own healthcare with their doctor,” says Faas. Once your child turns 18, get ready for some significant healthcare changes, and not just to your child’s medical record. Then, keep your child informed of changes in family health history whenever they arise.”Ī Child’s Medical Record at Age 18: They’re Still Under Your Insurance, but They Have to Manage Their own Appointments and Decisions “Before they reach adulthood, your child should be able to answer family health history questions without needing your help. “Talk to your child about medical conditions that run in the family such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes.” Albright says is important for parents to discuss with their teen early on is family health history. Make sure they’re not only responsible enough to remember to take medication on their own, but also when to take it and how it’s prescribed.Īnother topic Dr. Albright says most teens are self-reliant enough to manage their own medications around age 15-16. If you’re wondering about medication use, Dr. And when the appointment arrives, I’m going to let her do the talking. I’ve been asking her probing questions and encouraging her to observe how she’s been feeling so she can ask him about any issues she’s been having. My daughter has a well-check appointment next week with her pediatrician. Even allowing them to attend doctor’s appointments on their own can help build confidence. ![]() This will prepare them for the day when a parent isn’t around to do the talking for them. Albright says it’s important teens are given the opportunity to vocalize their symptoms and explain what they’re feeling in their own words. This also helps them get used to seeing a provider on their own.”ĭr. “At this age, I start talking with teens one-on-one about sensitive topics to allow time for them to engage without their parent present. Albright says that age 12 is a good time for kids to start taking a more active role in their healthcare. To ensure that both you and your child are ready to shift healthcare control when they turn 18, it’s important to start conversations early.ĭr. If we start talking about a child’s medical record when they are 12, they’ll have a better understanding of what to do when they move out on their own.Ĭhild’s Medical Record: Help Teens Manage Info, Learn Medication Use & Know Family History While it sounds scary to let a 12-year-old loose with medical information, it’s even scarier to me to let my 18-year-old loose with it when she’s never been taught a thing about what her records mean and how to handle them. “Parents must balance protecting their children while at the same time empowering them and promoting their ability to become independent decision makers,” Faas notes. While teens can access their own health information through patient portals like UM Health-West’s M圜hart, parents have the right to decide what information is visible. Parents of minors also have access to, and control of, their child’s protected health information (PHI), aka their child’s medical record, under HIPAA. “The child can advocate for themselves-and should-but the responsibility ultimately falls on the parent.” “Since minors are not legal adults (unless emancipated), parents are the voice of their child at the doctor’s office,” says UM Health-West privacy officer Gavin Faas. Let’s start with the legalities of healthcare management.įrom a federal and state standpoint, there are regulations that drive how healthcare facilities and parents/guardians must treat and manage a child’s medical record under 18. Teach Kids to Manage Their Medical Records so They’re Ready When They Turn 18
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