Protecting Patients
The data from this study provoke important questions about how to achieve the goals that Dr. Jelinek described, according to Ashley M. Lekach, MSN, RN, a family nurse practitioner working in pediatric endocrinology at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Lekach was not involved with the study.
“My concern is that once we are given this sensitive information, how do we make sure we are going to protect the patient from unwanted disclosure?” Ms. Lekach said. She agreed that there is a risk that EMRs can be accessed by individuals to which the patient would not want SOGI information revealed.
“It is a vote of confidence for the patient to reveal this information to me, and it is clearly our job to make sure the patient feels safe,” she said.
She also expressed concern that adolescents who reveal this information might need resources to cope with issues raised by non-heterosexual identification. She agreed that discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the clinical setting is often a major step for adolescents, particularly young adolescents, but she believes follow-up and next steps are in the interest of the patient.
Although the need for affirmation and confidentiality are not new ideas, Ms. Lekach said that the talk provided some useful context for thinking about these issues.
Dr. Jelinek and Ms. Lekach report no potential conflicts of interest.