Adolescent Confidentiality and Transition Policy

Beacon Pediatrics Adolescent Confidentiality and Transition Policy

Trust is an essential aspect of medical care and we at Beacon Pediatrics seek trust in all of our health care encounters. Parents and their children are both entitled to this trust. One way that physicians maintain trust is by keeping communications with patients and their families confidential.

Under Massachusetts state law, however, adolescents who are 12-17 years of age have special statutory rights that entitle them to confidential communications with their physicians. This means that they can discuss things with physicians they do not wish to tell their parents or other adults, and the physician is required to keep those things confidential. The only exception to this right of confidentiality is when the physician determines that the adolescent is in danger of hurting himself or herself, hurting other people, or being hurt by someone else.

At Beacon Pediatrics, we want to recognize and support our teenage patients’ evolving maturity and independence. Adolescence is a time of transition toward adulthood, and we believe that we should support this healthy transition in our office. Some teenagers may have health concerns that warrant professional advice and/or treatment, and they may not feel comfortable discussing this with their family and friends. In surveys, many adolescents say that concerns about confidentiality are a big reason they may avoid seeking medical care. We strive to provide the best care possible for our adolescent patients. To that end, we want our teens and parents to be aware of the following:

  • Beginning at age 13, we will conduct part of each visit alone with our teens. This time alone with the provider gives the patient a chance to address any concerns or issues.
  • When teens share something with us that they ask to remain confidential, we will honor that request, unless they plan to harm themselves or someone else. Although we always encourage patients to be open and honest with their parents, we also want them to have a safe place to go with any health concerns, and sometimes we can be that safe place. We hope that parents will trust us to take the best care of our teens in these situations.
  • We are also happy to speak privately with parents during the visit, at their request, about any concerns that they may want to share with us about their teen. We will maintain our patient’s confidentiality in these discussions.
  • These confidentiality parameters also extend to any telephone calls that we may have with our teen patients about their healthcare, including discussions about appropriate lab/imaging evaluations and results.
  • When our patients turn 18 years old, we follow federal guidelines mandating that they make decisions as legal adults about with whom and how their medical information is shared. They are now in charge of all medical decision making (including consent for treatment and immunizations), and we will require their consent to discuss any information about prescriptions, appointments, referrals and visits.

As such, upon turning 18 years old, they will be provided with an Authorized Representative form in which they will have an opportunity to grant permission for us to share medical information with their parents. It is up to the young adult whether or not we have permission to speak with their parents or other individuals. If the patient does not fill out this form or if they choose to withhold this permission, we will be unable to share any medical information (including with parents). 


Please note that this permission can be granted or retracted by the young adult patient at any time. 


We believe that it is important for young adults to take responsibility for their health care. This includes scheduling their appointments, calling/e-messaging for refills of medication, and calling the office themselves when they are sick or have a question for our team. Encouraging young adults to do this is an important part of the transition process and one more area where parents can help their children become functioning and healthy adults.


Turning 21 Years Old:


Beacon Pediatrics pledges to care for children and their families from birth through young adulthood. To that end, we are able to treat young adults up to their 21st birthday. 

At the 21-year-check-up, patients will be provided with a “graduation” letter that details the following:

  1. The patient will be unable to book a 22-year-old-check-up at Beacon Pediatrics
  2. The patient will have a 12 month “grace” period for sick visits and medication management (for chronic issues including asthma, ADHD, anxiety/depression, etc)
  3. Instructions will be given about how to find an adult provider

It is an honor and privilege to care for our patients. Graduation to adulthood is always bittersweet. We are sad to see you go, but happy to have served you along the way!

  • We will collaborate with patients and families regarding the age for transferring to an adult provider and recommend that this transfer occurs on or before age 21. We will assist with this transfer of care including helping to identify an adult provider, sending medical records, and communicating with the adult provider about the unique needs of our patients if deemed necessary.


This policy is consistent with Massachusetts State Law surrounding adolescent confidentiality, and it is also consistent with the policies of the Society for Adolescent Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please let us know if you have any questions.