Stanford uses AI to navigate health information sharing with teens and their families

In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the sharing of health information is a delicate balance, especially when it comes to teenagers.

THE PROBLEM

Patient portals facilitate efficient sharing of health information between patients, their families and healthcare providers. However, a unique challenge arises when it comes to teenagers.

Certain state laws may allow minors to consent to specific types of sensitive care and give them the right to keep this information confidential from their guardians. This is crucial for building trust with vulnerable youth who might otherwise avoid seeking the care they need.

Yet, it’s technically challenging to configure EHRs and patient portals to respect these privacy rights while also facilitating necessary information sharing.

“Some organizations respond to this challenge by withholding all health information from guardians,” said Dr. Natalie Pageler, chief health information officer and division chief, clinical informatics, at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. “However, this approach can inadvertently create barriers to optimal care. The reality is, most health information is not sensitive and can be crucial in engaging families in a teen’s healthcare journey, particularly for those with chronic medical conditions.

“Investing in the technical work to create a nuanced approach to health information sharing is not just a necessity, it’s an opportunity,” she continued. “It’s an opportunity to revolutionize the way we handle teen health data, ensuring both teens and their guardians have appropriate access to the information they need.”

This goes beyond mere compliance with laws or future-proofing systems: It’s about creating a healthcare environment where teens, regardless of their background, feel safe, supported and empowered, she added.

“Moreover, this nuanced approach supports the concept of graduated responsibility in healthcare for teens,” Pageler said. “As they grow older, they gradually take on more responsibility for their health decisions. By giving them control over their sensitive health information, we’re facilitating this transition to adulthood and fostering a sense of responsibility and autonomy.

“This work is about acknowledging the critical role families can play in supporting a teen’s health while respecting the teen’s rights to privacy in certain areas,” she continued. “By striking this balance, we can improve patient outcomes, build trust and set a new standard in patient-centered care.”

This is where AI and language models are stepping in.

PROPOSAL

Pageler and staff saw a significant opportunity to leverage AI technology to help navigate the nuances of health information sharing with teens and their families and to increase efficiency of provider note writing, messaging and manual monitoring programs.

“The first step in achieving these aims was to use natural language processing to set up a dual monitoring system,” she explained. “This system was aimed at ensuring the privacy and autonomy of teenage patients while also maintaining the necessary level of guardian involvement in their healthcare.