Telehealth for Adolescents: Confidentiality Protections and Challenges

Telehealth has expanded accessibility of essential health-care services for adolescents and young adults while also presenting challenges in protecting adolescents’ privacy and the confidentiality of their health information. This chapter uses clinical scenarios to address clinical considerations and legal frameworks related to three key questions: Who is authorized to consent for care and whose consent is required? What privacy concerns exist? How can the confidentiality of adolescents’ electronic health information (EHI) be protected? These questions are relevant for in-person care but present added complexity in delivering services via telehealth. The impact of evolving federal and state policies, the need for improved technology tools, and equity implications are explored.