Hippa Havoc
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Hippa Havoc
| Mon, 05-21-2007 - 12:06am |
While I totally understand that some confidentiality is necessary, the HIPPA law has lessened my roll as a parent. My dd, to my dismay, is now sexually active, at age 16. I realize I can't ask direct questions about her visit to the gynocologist for birth control, however, after several calls for general information about the types of birth control available, I still haven't received a call back from the MD's office. I left messages only stating that I was seeking general information about the type of pill my daughter is taking, and no one called back. I'm changing doctors and doing my own research, but the fact that my daughter has a significant learning disability might be something the physician's office should know before talking to her. I also need information to review how she's supposed to be taking the medication. Maybe the well intentioned professionals would like to support her baby...

In our state, girls as young as 14 can get birth control without a parent's consent or knowledge, and while I don't like the law, I definitely do understand the reason for it. I work in health care, so I've seen the down side of information being shared - parents who go ballistic when they find out that DD has gotten BC, girl goes off BC coz parents don't want her on it (coz that means she'll be having sex), girl gets pregnant because the lack of BC doesn't keep her from having sex. And a lot of girls don't want their parents involved in that part of their life... I'm lucky, my DD came to me and asked for the pill, ostensibly to "control her periods" probably because admitting that she was thinking about having sex was more information than she wanted to share. But a lot of her friends go out of their way to get on the pill without mom and dad knowing because they fear the parent's reaction if they know. Outside of telling me that she wanted to go on the pill, and then later admitting that she needed it for more than her periods, my DD isn't very forthcoming about that side of her life (she'll be 16 in July), and as long as she's handling it, which she is, I don't push for more information. Occasionally I check to see if she's taking her pills regularly, and she is, so that's where I leave it.
Maybe you can let the doc know that your DD is LD, so please make sure she fully understands how to use the pills? Docs deal with a lot of different kinds of patients, and I'm sure this isn't the first time yours has had a patient who, for one reason or another, might not fully understand what she's being told.
Rose
Maybe talking to your dd to get the information will help? Sounds like you were kept in the dark about this bit of info and it could open the lines of communication. Asking her just so you can help keep her baby-free if necessary rather than addressing the sex itself. My dd is a space cadet (ADD-I) and on the pill and I would be a wreck if I relied on her whole-heartedly to take them on her own. I don't harp on her as I once had to, but I still get nervous!
Good luck!
Unfortunately, while some teenagers may not be equipped to make these decisions on their own some parents aren't either!!! And that's the tragedy. Parents do and often will let their emotions and feelings about their teens becoming sexually active interfere with logic and reasoning. The logic and reasoning being that their teens are growing up and that in that very short journey from 14 to 18 when they no longer legally "need" our permission, they have to learn how to make decisions and how to live with the consequences of those decisions on their own.
I haven't faced this experience yet with my dd. I only know what happened to ME as a teen and thank goodness I was able to get BC, to get counselling regarding sexual matters from someone other than my parents who were very controlling, very difficult and very inflexible. I'm sure that many parents here aren't that way, and that's why they are on here, but the laws apply to everyone and so that means well-meaning, well-educated parents who CAN and should have more input aren't going to. But hopefully you'll find other ways to have input.
I deal with HIPAA in my job and it is a pain in the rear
It is a reality, though, and this physician cannot give you general info on the method your dd is using because that would tell you what BC method she is using. They are in limbo if they even acknowledge she is a patient!
All s/he could do would be to send you info on all methods of BC available which, of course, you could find on the internet
I would certainly talk to your dd. I mean, the deed is done and even if there was yelling and screaming upon the initial shock, it is perfectly reasonable IMO to ask her about the specifics
Was this a clinic? Will any info be coming in the form of a bill or insurance paperwork?
No one wants this news but there is some comfort in knowing that she was responsible enough to obtain BC, KWIM?
I agree with you!