Ethics & Law · patient case question
A parent asks that her child participate in choosing among treatment options and asks who controls access to the child's records. Which framework governs that access?
Patient case: Behavior Management and Infection Control
demo: 11-year-old male with autism spectrum disorder
chief: Restorative appointment; parent is present in the operatory.
history: Autism spectrum disorder with repetitive echolalic speech. Plays competitive basketball. Class II Division 1 malocclusion with an overjet of 8 mm.
meds: None
findings: Frankl behavior rating 2 (negative). Parent and child are both to be gowned and masked during an aerosol-generating procedure.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. HIPAA, which establishes the patient's right of access to their health records
- A. The ADA Code is professional ethics guidance; it is not the legal framework governing records access.
- B. OSHA regulates workplace safety for employees.
- C. OSAP issues infection control guidance.
- D. Correct. HIPAA sets the rules for privacy, security, and patient access to protected health information, including a parent's access to a minor's records.
Note: Involving a child in decisions appropriate to their maturity is assent, which complements — but does not replace — the legally required informed consent of the parent or guardian.