What happens to Rady MyChart account information access as my child grows?
Access to medical information differs according to patient age.
Up until age 12, parents and caregivers have access to the full profile of their child’s health information through MyChart. Beginning at age 12, due to California privacy mandates, some health information isn’t accessible to parents, and is only accessible to the child. When the child turns 18, parents no longer have access to that health information.
For children under 12 years old:
Parents are given complete access to their child’s health information.
For teens 12 to 17 years old:
Parents are given limited access to their child’s health information.
For adult patients 18 years and older:
Parents/caregivers are NOT given access to their child’s health information.
See below for what exact health information elements are and are not shared with caregivers at each age/situation.
Why does parent access to their child’s information change by age?
Parent access to their child’s information changes over time, based on privacy concerns.
When a child becomes a teenager (defined as 12 to 17), California confidentiality laws dictate what health information can or cannot be fully shared with his/her/their parent. While we encourage teens to discuss all medical concerns with their parents, teen privacy rights must be taken into consideration.
When a child becomes an adult (defined as 18 and older), by law, parental access to the chart is revoked and only the now adult patient has full access to his/her/their health information. For this reason, because ONLY the now-adult patient will have access, it is essential that a teen account be set up prior to the 18th birthday so access to the medical record is not lost at age 18 years old.
Can adult patients grant their parent/caregiver access to their health information?
Yes. For caregivers/parents to receive access to their child’s health information, the adult patient must grant parents/caregivers access via a standard process.
For more information, Click Here.
What about foster parents’ access to their ward’s health information?
Foster parents/caregivers are granted temporary access to their foster child’s information.
For more information, Click Here.
What about caregiver/parental access to deceased patients’ MyChart?
Beginning in June 2023, parental/caregiver access to the patient’s chart will be automatically extended for 3 months. For additional concerns/requests for extension, please call the Rady Children’s Service Desk at 877-902-4278 and ask for the MyChart team.
MyChart Portal FAQ List
Click below to visit the MyChart portal for a full list of FAQ’s.