Year: 2021
Resolution Number: 21
Action Taken: Approved as Amended
Status: Complete
Author(s): Meredith Hengy, Aayush Mittal, and Samantha Rea
Sponsor: Mara Darian
On behalf of: Medical Student Section
Committee: A (Medical Care Delivery)
Resolved Section(s):
RESOLVED: That the Michigan Delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA) ask our AMA to amend AMA policy H-60.965 by addition to read as follows: Confidential Health Services for Adolescents H-60.965 Our AMA: (1) reaffirms that confidential care for adolescents is critical to improving their health; (2) encourages physicians to allow emancipated and mature minors to give informed consent for medical, psychiatric, and surgical care without parental consent and notification, in conformity with state and federal law; (3) encourages physicians to involve parents in the medical care of the adolescent patient, when it would be in the best interest of the adolescent. When, in the opinion of the physician, parental involvement would not be beneficial, parental consent or notification should not be a barrier to care; (4) urges physicians to discuss their policies about confidentiality with parents and the adolescent patient, as well as conditions under which confidentiality would be abrogated. This discussion should include possible arrangements for the adolescent to have independent access to health care (including financial arrangements); (5) encourages physicians to offer adolescents an opportunity for examination and counseling apart from parent. The same confidentiality will be preserved between the adolescent patient and physician as between the parent (or responsible adult) and the physician; (6) encourages state and county medical societies to become aware of the nature and effect of laws and regulations regarding confidential health services for adolescents in their respective jurisdictions. State medical societies should provide this information to physicians to clarify services that may be legally provided on a confidential basis; (7) urges undergraduate and graduate medical education programs and continuing education programs to inform physicians about issues surrounding minors' consent and confidential care, including relevant law and implementation into practice; (8) encourages health care payers to develop a method of listing of services which preserves confidentiality for adolescents; and (9) encourages medical societies to evaluate laws on consent and confidential care for adolescents and to help eliminate laws which restrict the availability of confidential care; and (10) ENCOURAGES PHYSICIANS TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNS OF ADOLESCENTS' AND THEIR PARENTS ASSOCIATED WITH TELEHEALTH VISITS; AND (11) ENCOURAGES PHYSICIANS IN A TELEHEALTH SETTING TO OFFER A SEPARATE EXAMINATION AND COUNSELING APART FROM OTHERS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE ADOLESCENT IS IN A PRIVATE SPACE.
RESOLVED: That the Michigan Delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA) ask our AMA to amend AMA policy H-60.965 by addition to read as follows: Confidential Health Services for Adolescents H-60.965 Our AMA: (1) reaffirms that confidential care for adolescents is critical to improving their health; (2) encourages physicians to allow emancipated and mature minors to give informed consent for medical, psychiatric, and surgical care without parental consent and notification, in conformity with state and federal law; (3) encourages physicians to involve parents in the medical care of the adolescent patient, when it would be in the best interest of the adolescent. When, in the opinion of the physician, parental involvement would not be beneficial, parental consent or notification should not be a barrier to care; (4) urges physicians to discuss their policies about confidentiality with parents and the adolescent patient, as well as conditions under which confidentiality would be abrogated. This discussion should include possible arrangements for the adolescent to have independent access to health care (including financial arrangements); (5) encourages physicians to offer adolescents an opportunity for examination and counseling apart from parent. The same confidentiality will be preserved between the adolescent patient and physician as between the parent (or responsible adult) and the physician; (6) encourages state and county medical societies to become aware of the nature and effect of laws and regulations regarding confidential health services for adolescents in their respective jurisdictions. State medical societies should provide this information to physicians to clarify services that may be legally provided on a confidential basis; (7) urges undergraduate and graduate medical education programs and continuing education programs to inform physicians about issues surrounding minors' consent and confidential care, including relevant law and implementation into practice; (8) encourages health care payers to develop a method of listing of services which preserves confidentiality for adolescents; and (9) encourages medical societies to evaluate laws on consent and confidential care for adolescents and to help eliminate laws which restrict the availability of confidential care; and (10) ENCOURAGES PHYSICIANS TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNS OF ADOLESCENTS' AND THEIR PARENTS ASSOCIATED WITH TELEHEALTH VISITS; AND (11) ENCOURAGES PHYSICIANS IN A TELEHEALTH SETTING TO OFFER A SEPARATE EXAMINATION AND COUNSELING APART FROM OTHERS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE ADOLESCENT IS IN A PRIVATE SPACE.
Fiscal Note: Resolutions only requesting new or revised MSMS or AMA policy - $500
Resolution: View PDF for Address Adolescent Telehealth Confidentiality Concerns
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