University of Iowa Health Care in Iowa City is reviewing one of its policies related to parental access to adolescent medical records, The Gazette reports.
Four things to know:
1. UIHC currently allows parents and guardians to use the health system's patient portal, MyChart, to access their child's medical records until he or she turns 12 years old. When the child turns 12, parents are given limited access to their child's MyChart.
2. The health system notifies parents of the change before their child's 12th birthday, noting that, "We believe that children at this age should take a more active role in their own healthcare and have a choice to keep some information private."
3. The policy was put in place in 2010 when UIHC first began offering MyChart. The policy aligns with state laws governing adolescents' healthcare privacy.
"University of Iowa Health Care takes very seriously ensuring that adolescents feel that they are able to have private conversations with their physicians and other healthcare providers, especially those who seek certain sensitive services or types of care, such as substance abuse counseling, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, et cetera," UIHC spokesman Tom Moore told The Gazette.
4. However, after talking with other health systems, patients and families, UIHC has begun to revisit its policy. The review is not yet finished, but Mr. Moor said UIHC plans to share its revised policy in the coming months.