A quiet update to MyHealth Alberta webpage has altered parental access to their children's health records, expanding unlimited access from 12 years old to at least 16, with an option for the child to opt out after that.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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A Monday update to the MyHealth Alberta webpage outlines the process by which parents can now obtain their child’s personal health records until at least the age of 16.
After that, youth can choose to limit access to their personal health information, but otherwise default parental access continues until the child reaches 18. Prior to the change, parental access could be limited starting at age 12.
The policy was rolled out Monday with no formal announcement and little fanfare.
Dr. Sam Wong, section president of the Alberta Medical Association’s section of pediatrics, says very few physicians were informed in advance of the forthcoming change. The ones that were consulted were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The AMA only learned about the policy last week, when it was presented to physicians online by Alberta Health Services. That presentation is still available on the AHS webpage.
Wong says the AMA is working on disseminating the news now, but says the change was sprung somewhat suddenly on most physicians.
Wong is concerned the change could serve as an obstacle to the delivery of the most effective care for adolescent patients.
“If the teenager knows that their parents have proxy access to their health records, they may not be as forthcoming about their health issues, or they will ask for it not to be divulged into the health records. If there’s something important, it would be helpful to have other physicians know about it, in emergency or in other settings.”
He says teenage patients may also reject medications prescribed by health-care providers to avoid having it entered into their electronic health records.
“All of that impacts how we deal with patients and how we provide care to those patients,” said Wong.
Wong says he sees this policy change as an extension of the UCP government’s stance, articulated in other recent policy, that parental rights outweigh individual youth rights.
But Wong says the question isn’t black and white.
“In a perfect world, it wouldn’t be a problem, because there would be great communication between the adolescent and their parents,” he said. “We don’t live in that perfect world.”
The parent-first philosophy is also manifest in the trio of laws protected under the notwithstanding clause this past fall, which regulate the use of pronouns and preferred names in schools and limit gender-affirming care for youth under 16.
In a statement to the News from the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services, the province defended the decision.
“Parents and guardians play a critical role in supporting their children’s health, and access to health information helps them make informed decisions, obtain required care and ensure continuity of care,” it reads. “To better support families, Alberta’s government has expanded secure online access through MyHealth Records so parents and guardians of children under 16 can request access, while youth aged 14 and older can access their own health records online. Youth aged 16 and 17 also have the option to limit parental or guardian access, and all parental access ends automatically at age 18.
“Protecting patient privacy and respecting the rights of mature minors are legislative requirements. Safeguards are in place that allow health-care providers to limit or remove parental access to a child’s online health information where appropriate, including to minimize impacts on youth seeking sensitive or essential health services. A privacy impact assessment was completed as part of this change and submitted to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.”
Lethbridge-based physician Dr. Jillian Demontigny says Monday’s change reflects an extension of the autumn policy obstructing care for trans youth. But she says this policy will have repercussions for all youth.
Testing for sexually transmitted diseases, blood borne infections, questions about contraception, medications for depression and anxiety, or requests for support with substance use are all inquiries that vulnerable youth may no longer feel comfortable broaching with their providers.
“These are patients 16 and 17 years old. We’re not talking about kids five and seven,” said Demontigny. “These are people who go into the doctor’s office on their own, make their own appointments, because that’s when they can be their most honest selves.
“That requires a level of trust that the health care is being done in a confidential way.”
Demontigny says the new policy is “terrible.”
“People deserve confidentiality in health care,” she said.
Wong says physicians have already contacted him since the policy change Monday to report concerns of some of their patients.
“It’s already happening,” he said. “People have found out about it, and it’s causing a great deal of concern for certain patients and the physicians that deal with a lot of adolescent patients.”
