Abstract

Granting minors with online access to their personal health information (PHI) is a complex policy and implementation issue, requiring a balance of rapid changes in adolescent maturity and autonomy, adolescent need for privacy and confidentiality and care responsibilities of custodians and providers. There are currently no standard legislation or policies that enable access; however, most implementations use the age of majority or the mature minor doctrine as an approach – each with its own limitations. This paper highlights key legislative and implementation insights for organizations seeking to enable adolescents with online access to their PHI, calling for leadership to address this issue.