Manage access for an adult patient

Best first step: Decide what the person should be able to do: view portal information, help schedule care, receive calls, discuss care with staff, support discharge planning, or receive certain records.

• Adult patients usually control who may access their care information or help manage care.
• Access may include portal access, communication permission, support-person status, release of information, or legal representative access.
• Being a family member, caregiver, emergency contact, or ride home does not automatically provide access.
• Some behavioral health, medication, crisis, safety-plan, or sensitive information may still be limited.
• Access can usually be updated, limited, or removed later by the patient or legal representative when permitted.
• If access is being misused or the issue involves safety, ask for urgent privacy or safety review right away.

• Helping schedule or manage appointments.
• Receiving some care-related calls or messages.
• Helping with forms, follow-up instructions, or care coordination.
• Attending care discussions when the patient agrees.
• Helping with discharge planning, transportation, or medication pickup.
• Viewing certain portal information if proxy or caregiver access is granted.
• Requesting or receiving records only when proper authorization applies.

Person type	How they may help
Family member or partner	Appointments, transportation, discharge planning, care questions, and support during visits.
Friend, roommate, or trusted support person	Care logistics, reminders, transportation, safety-plan support, and communication help.
Caregiver or home support person	Daily support, medication pickup, follow-up planning, and care coordination when authorized.
Legal representative	Care decisions, records access, or communication based on legal documentation and scope of authority.
Interpreter, advocate, or accessibility support	Communication help during care, depending on patient permission and applicable policy.

Access type	What it may allow
Portal caregiver or proxy access	Viewing selected portal information, helping with messages, forms, scheduling, or care tasks when available.
Release of information	Allows staff to share certain information with a specific person for a specific purpose or time period.
Support-person status	May allow involvement in visits, family meetings, care conferences, discharge planning, or support coordination.
Emergency contact	May allow outreach during certain situations, but does not automatically allow full record or treatment access.
Legal representative access	May allow broader access depending on legal documents, scope, and applicable rules.

1. Confirm the patient wants to add or update access.
2. Identify the person who should receive access.
3. Choose what type of access is needed.
4. Specify whether access applies to Brookhaven, Alchemilla, the portal, or all Silent Hill Health services.
5. Complete any required identity verification or authorization form.
6. Provide legal documentation if someone is acting as a representative.
7. Ask when access will begin and whether any limits apply.
8. Ask how to remove or update access later.

• Patient full name and date of birth.
• Requester name and relationship to the patient.
• Name and contact information for the person being added or updated.
• Type of access requested.
• Which facility, service, or portal access should apply.
• Whether access should be temporary, limited, or ongoing.
• Whether behavioral health, medication, discharge, billing, or records information should be included or excluded.
• Any legal documentation, if applicable.

Important: Adult patient access does not override the patient’s right to privacy. It also does not automatically allow access to every note, medication detail, safety plan, crisis referral, message, or record.

• It may not allow full behavioral health note access.
• It may not allow access to crisis referrals or safety reviews.
• It may not allow access to all medication details or reasons for medication changes.
• It may not allow the person to make care decisions unless legal authority applies.
• It may not apply to every Silent Hill Health service automatically.
• It may not allow access to billing, records, or portal features unless specifically granted.

• Provider notes may not always be visible to caregivers.
• Safety plans may be partially visible or discussed only with patient approval.
• Medication information may be limited if it reveals sensitive treatment details.
• Crisis referrals, wellness checks, or safety reviews may have restricted details.
• Discharge planning may include support people only when the patient agrees or legal authority applies.
• Records may require a formal request even when someone is authorized for portal access.

• Remove all access for a person.
• Change full access to limited access.
• Update contact information.
• Remove portal access but keep emergency contact status.
• Remove communication permission but keep visitor approval.
• End a temporary authorization.
• Ask for urgent privacy review if access is being misused.

Do not wait for a routine access request, portal message, or records review if the issue involves immediate safety, abuse, coercion, stalking, unauthorized access during an emergency, or someone using access to interfere with care.

• If you are at Brookhaven or Alchemilla, tell reception, registration, security, or the care team immediately.
• If someone may harm themselves or someone else, use crisis or emergency support.
• If there is a medical emergency, use emergency services or Alchemilla Emergency Services.
• If portal access is being misused, ask for immediate account or privacy review.
• If a support person is worried about a patient’s safety, they can share concerns even if access is limited.