"Doctors keep everything that you tell them confidental. If they dont, they could get fired. "

I was concerned about this statement by the advocate Glitter in this thread: http://www.scarleteen.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/005391.html, as it is my understanding that there are ways that parents can find out - eg access to med records of minors, insurance statements. If I understand the US system correctly Glitter's post is misleading for minors in my opinion.

It depends on the circumstances of the problem. But, the moral issue (ethics) of the patient is 16 (or 18) years or older is to keep your records confidential.

Confidentiality is very improtant to the medical field and the field of law. Penalties can range from suspension or termination depending on how severe the circumstance.

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*~*Scarleteen Advocate*~*

Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable

Actual doctor confidentiality and parents looking at an insurance statement are very different things.

Understand that for starters, in the US, many youth don't get sexual healthcare via their parents insurance, but instead through private clinic systems.

And no, if a parent were to call doctors or clinics, unless a doctor believed that parents need to be apprised of a serious health or safety issue, it would be unethical -- though not always illegal -- for a doctor to report to a parent. Some situations, such as being under the age of consent, can inluence that. That's not necessarily simply 16 or 18.