Welcome to Teen Health Connection!

Thank you for choosing Teen Health Connection for your adolescent’s health care.  Adolescent health care is sometimes different than regular pediatric health care.  Over a ten year period, adolescents change from children to adults. As they mature, the ability to communicate effectively with their health care provider becomes important. Below is an introduction to the services we provide and how we provide them.

• At Teen Health Connection, we offer primary care services to adolescents from 11 years through young adulthood.  Patients are seen here for a wide variety of reasons, including regular physical exams or check ups and treatment when patients are sick.
   

• In addition to primary care, we offer consultation services in adolescent medicine, adolescent gynecology, and adolescent mental health care. Consultation means that we can see teens for a specific health issue while they continue to see their regular provider for primary care.  Consult visits require a referral from your primary care provider.
   

• The health care team at Teen Health Connection consists of nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners, mental health providers, and others.  When making an appointment, you should always ask to see your regular provider.
   

• Parents/guardians are welcome to every appointment, or teens may come to appointments alone (after the first visit).  During each visit, the health care provider may spend some time with the adolescent and the parent/guardian together and some time alone with the teen. 
   

• We will spend time talking to your teen about “sensitive” topics, ensuring that your teen is safe and healthy while respecting your family’s values.  When we talk with your teen alone, we can keep our discussion confidential (just between your teen and us); however, we always encourage open communication between teens and their parents. 
   

• Some matters may be discussed that your teen prefers to keep in confidence.  We may even provide certain examinations, treatments and medications confidentially.  Many years of research has shown that this approach helps build trust between teens and their health care providers, making sure that teens answer questions honestly in order to keep them healthy.
   

• Of course, serious problems or issues will be shared with the parent/guardian.

Teen Health Connection is committed to family-centered health care. We believe that the most important factor in a teen’s life is an involved and caring adult. Staff at Teen Health Connection encourages communication between teens, their families, and other important adults in their lives.

Please feel free to discuss any of the above information with your health care provider.  Thank you and welcome to Teen Health Connection!