Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications in Child Health (Health ...

Chapter 5
Special Health Information Needs
of Adolescent Care
David M.N. Paperny
Objectives
To outline the unique confidentiality requirements for adolescent health
information systems
To define parameters and techniques for adolescent health screening and education
To describe issues involved in protecting teens from online health risks
5.1 Introduction
Adolescent medicine concerns the biological, psychological, and social changes
in the transition from childhood to adulthood, and its core clinical data and
knowledge comprise a mixture of both pediatric and adult concerns. Adolescent
morbidity is predominately the consequence of preventable risk behaviors. 1
The importance of preventive services and interventions to adolescents at-risk
demands that practitioners address a broad range of concerns during encounters,
including physical and mental health screening, detection of and response to hidden
agendas, assurance of patient privacy, and guaranteeing access to care for this
vulnerable population. 2
5.2 Information Tasks for Adolescent Health Care
Tasks related to medical (and practice) management
Create and retrieve records securely from office, hospital, emergency departments,
consultants
Access laboratory and imaging test results securely
Communicate with the adolescent patients privately
Collect and analyze practice population data
Submit mandated reporting data
C.U. Lehmann et al. (eds.), Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications 43
in Child Health, Health Informatics,
© Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009