Records Policies: what should you inform clients about digital communications?

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Records Policies: what should you inform clients about digital communications?

Informing clients about how digital communications are handled in their records emphasizes confidentiality and transparency in telehealth. Digital messages—emails, portal messages, secure chat, and other electronic exchanges—are typically part of the clinical record. You should clearly explain that these communications will be included in the medical record and describe the security measures and backup processes in place to protect them. This includes how data are stored (secure servers, encryption in transit and at rest), who can access the records (authorized personnel with access controls and audit trails), and how backups and disaster recovery are managed (regular backups, retention periods, and recovery procedures). This approach supports informed consent and trust, helping clients choose the communication methods they’re comfortable with and understanding potential risks, such as breaches or access by unintended parties through insecure channels. Saying that digital communications should never be part of records, that clients don’t need to know how records are stored, or that records can be disclosed to anyone with a contact form would violate confidentiality and informed-consent requirements.

Informing clients about how digital communications are handled in their records emphasizes confidentiality and transparency in telehealth. Digital messages—emails, portal messages, secure chat, and other electronic exchanges—are typically part of the clinical record. You should clearly explain that these communications will be included in the medical record and describe the security measures and backup processes in place to protect them. This includes how data are stored (secure servers, encryption in transit and at rest), who can access the records (authorized personnel with access controls and audit trails), and how backups and disaster recovery are managed (regular backups, retention periods, and recovery procedures).

This approach supports informed consent and trust, helping clients choose the communication methods they’re comfortable with and understanding potential risks, such as breaches or access by unintended parties through insecure channels. Saying that digital communications should never be part of records, that clients don’t need to know how records are stored, or that records can be disclosed to anyone with a contact form would violate confidentiality and informed-consent requirements.

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