Adolescent Friendly Clinic

Helpful Tips

Hours
Having “late” or weekend hours one or two days a month can really help get adolescents in the door. Why? Well, they are generally at school or engaged in extra-curricular activities from 8am to 5pm Monday – Friday.

Decor
Cartoons are great! However, they can be off-putting for some teens who may feel “like a kid” if they are in an exam room that is decorated for a younger child. Teens may also need a larger exam table than what you have. If possible, have at least one exam room equipped for pelvic exams. We recommend always having an assistant/chaperone (other than the parent) for GU exams.

Getting Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) to come in to the office can seem like a challenge, but it is not impossible and is often rewarding!

In addition to having adolescent friendly office hours and décor, we recommend that all staff receive education and stay up to date on State and Federal laws related to consent and confidentiality.

Providing a standard letter to explain AYA rights can help to alleviate questions about the structure of the visit.

At Adolescent Medicine Consulting, we can help all office staff become more welcoming to the teens and young adults in your practice. We can teach the skills to assess and treat common adolescent health issues of:

Depression
Anxiety
Eating Disorders
GU concerns
Parent-Child Conflict

adolescentmedicineconsulting

15 Jul, 2021