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Under-age girl as a patient of pediatric and adolescent ginecology outpatient clinic
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Abstract
In Poland there is no uniform standing of medical and legal environments with regard to dealing with a juvenile patient who has become sexually active and expects the advice of a gynaecologist, gynaecologic examination and often asks for prescribing contraceptives. The procedures must take into account the fact that in Poland, until 18 years of age, a juvenile functions under the parental or tutelary authority, while a consent for medical service requires beside of the consent of legal guardian also the consent of a juvenile who is 16 years of age and becomes a full-right patient.
According to the Act on Health Care Institutions, a patient has the right to self-decisions, the respect of physical and mental integrity and the respect of privacy, while the participation of a statutory representative post 16th year of age refers practically to co-deciding on a medical service provision. Therefore, the information received from such juvenile patient in subjective and objective examination does not have to be passed to the statutory representative, if the juvenile patient requires confidentiality and if this does not affect the patient’s health and the planned medical procedures (e.g. the necessity of making an operation). The knowledge of conduct procedures with regard to a juvenile patient as a carrier of rights shall enable doctors to make aware choices of conduct and provide services or, in most cases, only advice, without the necessity to breach the laws of Poland. (Pol J Endocrinol 2008; 59 (5): 412-419)
Abstract
In Poland there is no uniform standing of medical and legal environments with regard to dealing with a juvenile patient who has become sexually active and expects the advice of a gynaecologist, gynaecologic examination and often asks for prescribing contraceptives. The procedures must take into account the fact that in Poland, until 18 years of age, a juvenile functions under the parental or tutelary authority, while a consent for medical service requires beside of the consent of legal guardian also the consent of a juvenile who is 16 years of age and becomes a full-right patient.
According to the Act on Health Care Institutions, a patient has the right to self-decisions, the respect of physical and mental integrity and the respect of privacy, while the participation of a statutory representative post 16th year of age refers practically to co-deciding on a medical service provision. Therefore, the information received from such juvenile patient in subjective and objective examination does not have to be passed to the statutory representative, if the juvenile patient requires confidentiality and if this does not affect the patient’s health and the planned medical procedures (e.g. the necessity of making an operation). The knowledge of conduct procedures with regard to a juvenile patient as a carrier of rights shall enable doctors to make aware choices of conduct and provide services or, in most cases, only advice, without the necessity to breach the laws of Poland. (Pol J Endocrinol 2008; 59 (5): 412-419)
Keywords
juvenile; rights of the patient; the sexual initiation
Title
Under-age girl as a patient of pediatric and adolescent ginecology outpatient clinic
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review paper
Pages
412-419
Published online
2008-09-26
Page views
576
Article views/downloads
1870
Bibliographic record
Endokrynol Pol 2008;59(5):412-419.
Keywords
juvenile
rights of the patient
the sexual initiation
Authors
Elżbieta Sowińska-Przepiera
Elżbieta Andrysiak-Mamos
Anhelli Syrenicz