Recommendations for digital sharing of notes with adolescents in mental health care: a Delphi study

Abstract

Introduction: In many countries, healthcare professionals are legally obliged to share information from electronic health records with patients. However, concerns have been raised regarding the sharing of notes with adolescents in mental health care, and healthcare professionals have called for recommendations to guide this practice. Therefore, the aim was to reach a consensus among authors of scientific papers on recommendations for healthcare professionals’ digital sharing of notes with adolescents in mental health care. In addition, to describe whether staff at child and adolescent specialist mental healthcare clinics agreed with the recommendations. Methods: A Delphi study was conducted with authors of scientific papers to reach a consensus on recommendations. Additionally, a cross-sectional study was conducted among staff at the specialist child and adolescent mental healthcare clinics to assess whether they agreed with the recommendations that reached a consensus. Results: Twenty-seven of the 84 invited authors responded. A consensus was achieved on 17 recommendations on central areas related to the digital sharing of notes with adolescents in mental health care. The recommendations considered how to introduce digital access to notes, write notes, support healthcare professionals, and when to withhold notes. Sixty percent or more of the 41 staff members at child and adolescent specialist mental healthcare clinics agreed with the 17 recommendations. Conclusion: Seventeen recommendations for healthcare professionals’ digital sharing of notes with adolescents in mental health care were established through a Delphi study and supported by staff at child and adolescent specialist mental healthcare clinics. Healthcare professionals can use these recommendations to guide their practice of sharing notes with adolescents in mental health care.