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Telemedicine continues to grow at an impressive rate as increasing numbers of providers adopt it in their practices, and the technology continues to improve for connecting with and delivering virtual care to patients.

Telemedicine continues to grow in scope and popularity as increasing numbers of providers adopt it in their practices, and the technology continues to improve for connecting with and delivering virtual care to patients. Telemedicine offers a number of advantages to providers and patients—including convenience and speedier and improved access to care—leading to increased patient satisfaction. It also offers increased opportunities for providers to broaden their practices and patient base as well as greater flexibility in how they provide care to patients.¹

Telemedicine continues to grow at an impressive rate as increasing numbers of providers adopt it in their practices, and the technology continues to improve for connecting with and delivering virtual care to patients. But along with the advantages that telemedicine offers both providers and patients, there are also liability risks to consider.¹

Adolescent autonomy and privacy are affected by a tangled web of state and federal laws that clinicians are expected to know and abide by. As a rule, adolescent patients cannot give consent for their own medical treatment before they reach the legal age of majority, which, in most states, is 18. The circumstances in which adolescent patients can consent to their own medical treatment vary by state; however, most states have consent exceptions based on an adolescent’s legal status (e.g., married, emancipated) and select medical conditions (“sensitive medical conditions”).

While the number of people getting vaccinations for their children is relatively stable,¹ some parents and guardians are hesitant about or refuse vaccines, or they want to depart from the recommended schedule. Researchers have identified seven primary reasons for this:^2,3,4