Tailored communication guides from mental health practitioners provide parents and guardians with an understanding of the medication and management of their children's mental illness. Through email, the communication of these guides is not an impersonal one-way directive, but an open dialogue that drives informed decisions.
Parents and guardians as support systems in mental health treatment
Parental engagement in treating their children is based upon the principle that they act as both decision-makers and advocates. The roles are granted through both the ethical parental responsibility to care for the needs of their child as well as the legislative backing created by laws like HIPAA. An example of this legislative backing is how the Privacy Rule allows parents to access their child's medical records. State laws further provide for the ability to make medical decisions on behalf of the child.
According to one journal article published in Psychiatric Services, “Given that children rarely make their own treatment decisions, examinations of barriers to mental health treatment usually focus on parental and family factors.” It means that parents are one of the central lines of support for children with mental illnesses. The treatment and management of these illnesses, therefore, often hinges on the effective education of parents and consistent communication with psychologists, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers involved in their cold treatment plan.
Why organizations should use email to share medication guides
Medication guides are FDA-approved documents outlining the necessary information about a drug's risks, benefits, and proper usage. Although medication packaging often comes with its own guide, in the case of mental health treatment where medication can be confusing and overwhelming, the use of tailored guides by healthcare practitioners can prove beneficial to parents. The access to a more comprehensive guide on their children's medication and the often unknown side effects allows for the adjustment to daily routines in a way that does not negatively impact the child.
Sharing medication guides as a mental health practitioner should be carefully considered. Using common methods like paper handouts brings the potential for guides to be lost or forgotten. If protected health information (PHI) like the patients name or diagnosis is on the document, there is the additional risk of unauthorized access while in the organizations possession.
Email, on the other hand, allows for the secure and easy communication of medication guides. It also allows parents to communicate concerns and issues directly with the provider. HIPAA compliant email specifically acts as the most secure form of communication for any mental health provider, allowing for the prevention of unauthorized access.
Best practices
To provide the best outcomes for medication adherence, there are a few steps mental health practitioners can take to communicate medication guides effectively.
These include:
- Make sure that communications are tailored to the preferences of the parents or guardians.
- Always use HIPAA compliant email platforms to communicate with patients, especially when discussing treatment.
- Make guides interactive, providing additional educational content that explains concept ideas related to the child's treatment plan.
- Provide summarized points related to dosage, side effects, and the impacts of missed doses as well as guidelines for what to do in cases of emergencies.
- Use accessibility guidelines when formatting emails to remain accessible to parents with disabilities.
- Use an FAQs section in the email communication to present common concerns and unknown side effects.
- Always encourage an open dialogue.
See also: HIPAA Compliant Email for Mental Health Professionals
FAQs
What are patient rights under HIPAA?
Patients have the right to access their medical records, request corrections, and control how their health information is shared.
Which forms of legislation govern children's care in a medical setting?
Children's care in a medical setting is governed by HIPAA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and state specific laws on minors' health care and consent.
Is consent necessary to email parents about their children's care?
Yes.
Kirsten Peremore
