Parent Request for Confidentiality

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Policy: Student Health clinicians comply with all laws regarding the confidentiality of medical information. The law requires that a clinician obtain authorization from any patient eighteen years or over, any emancipated minor, and any self-sufficient minor prior to releasing any information regarding their medical condition. This requirement applies even if it is clear that the student has been in conversation with his/her parent about the problem. Ideally, consent should be in writing. In difficult circumstances a phone authorization with two listeners is acceptable.

Procedure:

When a parent call comes to anyone in the building, the person receiving the call should obtain the name and perm number (birth date if perm not known) of the student and a phone number where the parent can be reached over the next hour. The parent should be told: “Please give me your son/daughter’s name and perm number and a number where we can call you back in the next hour or so. Someone will return your call as soon as possible.”
As soon as the call is completed, check the computer to see who saw the patient.
Send one copy of the phone message to the clinician immediately. If the clinician is not available, send the phone message to the Urgent Care Nurse Practitioner.
Under all circumstances the parent should be called back if at all possible by a clinician within the hour. It is the responsibility of the clinician to inform the parent that the information cannot be disclosed if consent has not been obtained. Judgement should be used as to whether it may be appropriate to give general information about a disease process if the parent is aware of the diagnosis.