Adolescents are allowed to consent to certain kinds of care, and respecting and appropriately maintaining confidentiality with their electronic health records is imperative for their health and well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics gives recommendations concerning the appropriate use of health records in the care of adolescents in a policy statement written by the Council on Clinical Information Technology and Committee on Adolescence. The policy, “Principles for Health Information Technology to Support and Protect Adolescent Confidentiality,” published in the March 2026 Pediatrics (published online on Feb. 23), states that individual state laws determine what information may be kept confidential, which is usually care related to reproductive health, mental health, and substance use. This can become especially important when teenagers seek care for these issues, as studies have shown that adolescents hesitate to seek medical care for sensitive issues if they think the information will be shared with a parent or guardian. Federal laws, such as the 21st Century Cures Act, state that patients, including teens, must be able to access their electronic health records freely and easily. The AAP notes that, while it is challenging, adolescents should be supported in their right to patient confidentiality. The policy calls for a coordinated effort among health care organizations, pediatric clinicians, policy makers, electronic health record vendors, and third-party payers to safeguard sensitive health data. The AAP also suggests that pediatricians educate parents and guardians about their children’s rights of confidentiality. Policy makers should develop guidance while working with electronic health records companies on how these systems can comply with information-blocking provisions while supporting adolescents' confidentiality. Policy statements created by AAP are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field, and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics.
Information for parents is available in this HealthyChildren.org article.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.