Question

Twelve-year-old Karen arrives for her Texas Health Steps preventive medical checkup accompanied by her 16-year-old sister. Karen's mother drops off her daughters at your office while she goes grocery shopping. Which answer best describes how a primary care provider should handle this situation?

a) The provider asks the office staff to inform the mother that she must be in the exam room because Karen is younger than 15 years old. The provider does not begin the checkup until Karen's mother is present.
b) The provider conducts the checkup for Karen, with Karen's sister remaining in the waiting room to ensure patient confidentiality.
c) The provider conducts the checkup for Karen with her sister in the exam room, so that the provider can fulfill requirements to be reimbursed by Medicaid.
d) The provider conducts the checkup and then asks Karen's sister to bring their mother to the exam room so she can receive the exam report.

Answer 1

The primary care provider should wait until Karen's mother is present for the exam, as Karen is under 15 and legal consent from the guardian is necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a twelve-year-old patient like Karen arrives for a Texas Health Steps preventive medical checkup without a parent, but with an older sibling, a primary care provider should handle the situation by following legal and ethical guidelines pertaining to consent and confidentiality. Patient privacy is vital, especially with minors, and adolescents may require confidentiality when discussing sensitive topics such as sexual health. The correct approach would be for the provider to ask the office staff to inform the mother that she must be present for the exam, as Karen is younger than 15 years old. The checkup should not begin until Karen's mother is present, to ensure legal guardianship consent and to discuss any findings or health concerns.