Vacationland Times

State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery) has introduced HB 463, the My-Child My-Chart Act, in an effort to ensure Ohio's parents and legal guardians have complete digital access to their children's medical records. The legislation aims to provide parents with access to all non-protected records pertaining to their children without requiring permission from the child.

Click emphasized the need for this act by stating, "Concerned parents have informed me that they have been unable to view their children’s online medical records without permission from the child." He added, "I think that’s wrong."

The My-Child My-Chart Act addresses the issue where most digital hosting services group protected and non-protected records together, leading to providers defaulting to requiring permission from the child before granting access to parents. By segregating HIPAA-protected records until permission is given, parents will no longer need their child’s consent to digitally access their non-protected files.

In addition to granting parents greater medical transparency, the bill also requires healthcare providers to offer children the opportunity to consent to sharing protected records at each annual wellness visit. This consent will remain in effect until the child reaches the age of majority or until revoked in writing.