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Secretly Recording Your Doctor’s Appointments

Secret recording is increasingly common and many times legal

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2016, a whopping 77% of Americans owned a smartphone. This number is more than double what it was when the Pew Research Center first started tracking smartphone ownership in 2011. Back then, 35% of Americans owned smartphones. Furthermore, in 2016, there was a sharp rise in ownership among both older people and lower-income people. Smartphones are everywhere, and their coverage is growing.

In addition to making phone calls, smartphones can do lots of other things. They can take photos, shoot video, play music, and access the Internet. They can also be used to record healthcare provider appointments without the knowledge of the practitioner.

Secretly recording clinical encounters may sound sneaky, but in 39 of 50 states, it’s legal. Furthermore, research shows that recorded clinical encounters can be empowering and educational for patients. However, many healthcare provider are understandably skittish about having a recording of their advice floating around somewhere out there.

How Common Is It?

There isn't a lot of data concerning how prevalent secret recording is; the issue has only recently risen to some prominence.

In one small UK study, Elwyn and co-authors found that 15% of respondents indicated that they had recorded a clinician encounter without consent, and 35% of participants said that they had considered doing it.   Moreover, in the same survey, 11% of clinicians responded that they were aware of being secretly recorded by a patient in the past. According to the authors of the study, “69% of respondents indicated their desire to record clinical encounters, split equally between wanting to do so covertly or with permission.”

How Legal Is It?

Each state has its own wiretapping and eavesdropping statutes. The statutes vary from state to state based on whether one or two parties must consent to recording a conversation, thus referred to as single-party jurisdictions or all-party jurisdictions, respectively. In total, 39 of 50 states as well as the District of Columbia are single-party jurisdictions—where only one party needs to consent. In other words, in these jurisdictions, if somebody wants to record another person—including a clinical encounter—it’s legal.

There are 11 all-party-jurisdiction states in which both the clinician and patient must both consent to recording a conversation: California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. In these states, it’s a felony for a patient to record a healthcare provider without permission.

In single-party jurisdictions—or most of the United States—if a patient asks to record a clinical encounter and the clinician refuses, the patient can proceed to record the encounter anyway. The clinician must then choose to continue or terminate the encounter.

In all-party jurisdictions, the clinician must be asked by the patient to record the clinical encounter. Any illegal recording can then be reported by the clinician to the authorities. Possible repercussions include compensation for harm, attorney’s fees, and other costs, with disseminating the recording via the Internet being considered an additional violation.

What About HIPAA?

As with any formal medical record, the HIPAA Privacy Rule covers any audio or video recordings made by the healthcare provider, health plan, or health clearinghouse. However, HIPAA doesn’t extend to recordings made by the patient. In other words, in single-party jurisdictions, the patient can distribute the recording as pleased.

The Benefit of Recording

Research shows that patients put a high value on audio recordings made of clinical encounters. For instance, in a 2014 review, Tsulukidze and colleagues found that, on average, 72% of patients listened to recorded consultations. Furthermore, 60% of patients shared these audio recordings with loved ones and others. For the most part, these recordings have been shown to improve patient recall and understanding of their conditions.

Other research findings suggest that patients and their family members often have difficulty comprehending what’s presented during a healthcare provider's appointment because they are overcome with grief and complex emotions. Recordings can be played back later when the patient and family members are better prepared to understand the message, guidance, and advice. Oncologists have known about this phenomenon for some time, which is why recordings of encounters are commonly offered to patients who are being treated for cancer .

In the previously mentioned UK survey, Elwyn and co-authors found that the prime motivation to record clinician encounters is to enhance the healthcare experience and to share the experience with others. However, some patients reported wanting to use the recordings as evidence of poor care.

How Do Healthcare Providers Feel?

Especially at work, few people like to be recorded without their permission; healthcare providers are no different.

In a Viewpoint from JAMA , Rodriguez and Morrow write the following:

"Not all possible uses of these recorded conversations are beneficial to patients and healthcare provider. Patient or family members who disagree with the advice of their practitioners or who are upset with their healthcare provider for whatever reason can easily take comments from these recordings out of context and, with a few keystrokes, disseminate them via social media. Patients can conceivably record conversations with the specific intent of establishing the grounds for a lawsuit or gathering material with which to manipulate a physician."

Moreover, if a healthcare provider suspects or later finds out that an encounter has been recorded without consent, the healthcare provider-patient relationship can suffer. First, these practitioners may believe that they were denied the right to consent to recording. Second, healthcare providers may feel vulnerable to scrutiny and distrustful of the patient.

A Word From Verywell

Ultimately, healthcare providers, policy makers, and patient advocacy organizations must come together to work out guidelines and regulatory guidance regarding patient recording.

In the meantime, however, it may be a good idea for healthcare providers in single-party jurisdictions to embrace the possibility that they’re being secretly taped during every clinical encounter. The healthcare provider could then proceed without letting any concerns about being recorded affect patient care, medical decision-making , or attitudes toward the patient.

Alternatively, a healthcare provider could ask whether the encounter is being recorded, express assent, and educate the patient about the utility and best use of these recordings.

Finally, even if there’s no legal obligation, it may behoove a patient to inform the clinician that they plan to record the encounter. Doing so may obviate any hard feelings, trepidation, or indignation on the part of the healthcare provider.

Smith A. Record shares of Americans now own smartphones, have home broadband . Pew Research Center.

Elwyn G, Barr PJ, Grande SW. Patients recording clinical encounters: a path to empowerment? Assessment by mixed methods . BMJ Open . 2015;5:e008566.

Tsulukidze M, et al. Providing recording of clinical consultation to patients – A highly valued but underutilized intervention: A scoping review . Patient Educ Couns . 2014;95:297–304. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2014.02.007

Rodriguez M, Morrow J. Ethical implications of patients and families secretly recording conversations with physicians . JAMA . 2015;313(16):1615-1616. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.2424

Elwyn G, Barr PJ, Castaldo M. Can patients make recordings of medical encounters? JAMA . 2017;318(6):513-514. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.7511

By Naveed Saleh, MD, MS Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, is a medical writer and editor covering new treatments and trending health news.

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State, federal laws govern whether doctor visits can be recorded :

At a clinic visit for a child with developmental concerns, the patient’s father takes out his smartphone and begins videotaping your discussion of next steps for behavioral management of his child. He states that this will help him remember how to care for his child. You have had prior conflicts with this family and are uncomfortable with the conversation being recorded. What can you do?

Audio and video recordings of doctors’ visits can be used to improve patients’ and families’ understanding of medical conditions and care instructions. In some situations, however, providers may be concerned that recordings could be harmful or illegal or may cause liability down the line.

What legal protections apply to recordings of doctors’ visits, and what rights do doctors have to limit recordings when they are uncomfortable?

The federal wiretapping law (18 U.S. Code § 2511) requires that only one party consent to recording a conversation. States also have laws governing recording. In most cases, state laws that are more restrictive than federal law would supersede the federal statute ( Privacy: An Overview of Federal Statutes Governing Wiretapping and Electronic Eavesdropping. Report for Congress . January 2003, https://www.epic.org/privacy/wiretap/98-326.pdf ).

In states requiring only one party’s consent, a patient may claim to have a right to record the conversation regardless of whether the provider agrees. Twelve states (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington) require all parties to a conversation to consent to recording. In these states, recording an encounter with a physician would not be allowed without the physician’s consent (Elwyn G, et al. JAMA. 2017;318:513-514).

Even if only one party’s consent is needed to record a conversation under state law, other policies and protections may limit recording of physician visits. Some health care practices have policies restricting patients’ and families’ abilities to use photography or recording devices in the facilities; others may call for approval to record clinical care or require that recordings are discontinued if the physician, nurse or another staff member deems this necessary. State laws and a practice’s location may govern the types of restrictions and policies that can be implemented. A practice on private property may have more options to limit recording of physician encounters.

If a patient or family member records an interaction with a provider, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy restrictions would not apply since the recording party is not a covered entity under HIPAA. Recording other patients, however, would be prohibited.

Practices can take steps to prevent prohibited recordings, such as posting signs restricting recording in the waiting room or other common areas or including such guidelines in privacy policies.

If someone makes an unauthorized recording in a state that requires all parties to consent, he or she may face legal consequences, including possible felony charges. There may be additional legal consequences for disseminating the recording.

While patients would not be prevented from disseminating a recording made in states in which only one party’s consent is required, other legal ramifications may apply, particularly if a physician’s reputation is damaged.

Risk management pointers

  • Be familiar with laws regarding audio and video recording in your state of practice.
  • Develop practice policies on recording or consult your institution about existing policies.
  • Confer with a local malpractice carrier regarding recording policies and responsibilities under HIPAA in your state of practice.
  • Consult an attorney or compliance officer if you are concerned about HIPAA violations or reputation damage resulting from recordings.
  • Avoid responding to dissemination of information on social media or in public forums.

Dr. Sigman is a member of the AAP Committee on Medical Liability and Risk Management.

  • AAP News article “Should pediatricians allow parents to videotape office visits?”
  • Additional Pediatricians and the Law columns

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record a doctor's visit

Can you record a doctor’s visit?

We hear from a lot of people that they’re interested in taking more control over their health but feel a little uncertain about taking that next step. In fact, one of the most common questions we get is whether you can record a doctor’s visit. For many people, the question is two-pronged: A matter of comfort, and, well, a question about what’s allowed!

record a doctor's visit

We hear from a lot of people that they want to find ways to better stay on top of their health, but aren't quite sure how to take that next step. In fact, one of the most common questions we get is whether you can record a doctor’s visit. For many people, the question is two-pronged: a matter of comfort, and, well, a question about what’s allowed!

What are the benefits of recording a doctor’s visit?

As you might imagine, using an app to record a doctor’s visit actually improves the experience for both you and your doctor. Abridge was created specifically for health conversations, so when you use Abridge to record your doctor’s visit, you get much more than just an audio recording. After recording, you’ll receive a transcribed summary of the most important parts of the conversation, such as when your doctor talks about instructions, medications, and follow-ups. These takeaways will make it easier for you to adhere to your doctor’s treatment plan. This isn’t just idle convenience, though: Research shows that patients forget up to 80% of the information they receive from doctors , so the ability to revisit your doctor’s advice is key.

So, can you record a doctor’s visit?

You may be wondering, though, can you record a doctor’s visit? Generally speaking, the answer is yes. In fact, the healthcare professionals we work with at Abridge really appreciate that their patients are able to revisit their advice. 

And it turns out that rules for recording doctors' visits are the same for any other type of conversation between people. This means the specifics depend a bit on where you live and whether or not you ask the other person beforehand. 

In most parts of the country — 39 of 50 states plus the District of Columbia — you can record a doctor visit, even without asking. That said, we think transparency is the foundation of any good relationship — so even though it’s perfectly legal, at Abridge we recommend that you recording to your doctor before proceeding with recording the conversation. And 11 states — California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington — actually require that everyone gives the OK for any conversation to be recorded, so it’s definitely good practice to give your doctor a heads up. 

Tips on how to ask to record a doctor’s visit

Want to know how to actually ask whether you can use an app to record a doctor’s visit? Even if you feel awkward broaching the topic the first time, chances are that your doctor has been asked before. We recommend keeping it simple, starting the appointment with something like:

  • “I’ve been using this new app to help me better remember my next steps. It defines medical terms for me and lets me review your advice.”
  • “Since my family can’t join me during this visit, I’d like to record the visit and then recap the conversation to keep them in the loop.”
  • “Is it OK if I record this conversation? It helps me stay in the moment."

After all, it’s easy to see how recordings can be helpful for getting a holistic picture of your health and sharing them with loved ones. Researchers have found that people who listen to recordings of conversations with their doctors report higher satisfaction — and that the number of people seeking to record is on the rise.

Have thoughts on recording? We’re all ears. Reach out any time at [email protected] .

Want to learn more about how Abridge can help?

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Can patients record doctor’s office visits?

record a doctor's visit

With the ubiquitous nature of smartphones today, recording (possibly in secret) and sharing a conversation with a physician is incredibly easy.

According to an  article   in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), it is legal to record conversations with your physician, even secretly.  The exceptions are in California and Florida, where all parties must be aware if a conversation is being recorded.

Additionally, except in California and Florida, the patient can take the Protected Health Information (PHI) in those secretly recorded conversations and share it with whomever they want. It’s their PHI, they can do with it as they will.

Some other  interesting stats from the Pew Research Center :

  • 77% of Americans have a smartphone
  • 94% of young adults have a smartphone 

There are some possible benefits to recording conversations - such as improved accuracy of information, patient adherence, patient engagement; ability to share information with family members or caregivers; or ability to better absorb information if the initial conversation is particularly emotional (e.g., being told of a new cancer diagnosis)

However, potentially negative consequences to recording conversations (especially in secret) include the damaging the relationship between the doctor or the words on the recording could be taken out of context.

If you openly record your doctor’s office visit, the advantages usually outweigh the disadvantages. Here’s some additional factors to consider.

record a doctor's visit

Prepare your people for important health decisions throughout their entire healthcare journey.

Why should we record office visits.

According to the  Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , 50-80% of medical information provided by healthcare practitioners is forgotten immediately after the appointment. This can occur for several reasons.

First, physicians may overestimate the topics and duration of what they have discussed with their patients.  Also, telling patients once may not enough to get the patient’s attention or buy-in.  Finally, patients could also filter what they hear from their doctor in a variety of ways that physicians may not be aware (the patient’s health beliefs, values and previous experience.)  

What are a couple of common instances where this breakdown in communication occurs?

  • Changes in how and when to take medications.   Doctors may need to change the number of pills or frequency of an existing medication—so what the pill bottle says is no longer what the patient should be doing.  Communication breakdown: patient starts taking medication incorrectly.
  • Steps to take to get labs drawn or test taken.   The most common confusion here is that many blood tests (cholesterol, blood sugar, triglycerides) need to be completed while the patient is fasting.  In some cases, the patient either may not hear these instructions or the doctor assumes the nurse told the patient and the nurse assumes the doctor told the patient. As a result, the patient may eat and then have their blood drawn.  In this case, the test result comes back indicating the patient has high cholesterol, high blood sugar or high triglycerides and the patient is needlessly put on medication… all because they ate by accident before the blood test.  Communication breakdown: patient takes medication they do not need.

If people do not know what the doctor said or what to do 50 percent of the time, what can be done to change that? Make an audio recording of the office visit.

With the prevalence of smartphones, now almost everyone has an audio recorder on their phone. On the iPhone, you can use  Voice Memos , and most Android phones have a  recording app  built in as well.

After your doctor visit, you can go back and listen to the conversation with your doctor and even email a copy of the conversation to a family member.

We recommend you always ask your physician if you can record the conversation. Some may object, but most will not.  Often patients have family members in the exam room during office visits taking notes, most physicians are used to that dynamic.

Patients can be better consumers of healthcare when they are well informed.

Along with Alight's Navigation Solutions, having a clear recording of your doctor’s instructions can help you get better care, as well as make better choices that fit within your budget.

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How to Record and Transcribe Doctor Appointments with an App

record a doctor's visit

Rev › Blog › Transcription Blog › How to Record and Transcribe Doctor Appointments with an App

It’s not uncommon to attend a doctor’s appointment alone. Whether it’s in-person, by phone call or video chat, you must understand the medical information so you can later heed the advice and discuss it with your family and friends. Your best option is to record the conversation.

Why? Recording doctor visits put you in control of the information. You can give your full attention to your doctor (without taking notes by hand), then review every word later via recordings.

Can I Record my Doctor Visit?

This is a common question, often followed by more questions. Is it legal to record your conversation with a medical professional? And, do you have to tell them you’re making a recording? 

Do you plan to visit in person? Ask your doctor (and their nurses) if they mind if you record the audio part of the visit, then abide by their wishes.

If you’re dialing in for your appointment, it’s good to know the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn’t currently have rules about recording phone conversations. However, your individual state might have regulations about disclosing that you’re recording and request that you get consent from the other party before pushing the record button. Learn more about state laws regarding voice recordings here .

How to Record a Doctor Appointment

Once you have the green light to record, make it as simple as possible. We understand doctor visits can be stressful or confusing. Plan ahead before your visit.

record a doctor's visit

1. Download the Rev Voice Recorder App to your smartphone before your appointment

Do this beforehand so you don’t have to fumble with the process when you should be paying attention to the doctor. The app is free and available in the app store on your smartphone. 

With this software, you can record appointments with no limits. You can later trim your recordings to remove the conversational chatter at the start or end of your medical appointments, so you only save the important details.

There’s even an easy sharing button that allows you to upload the recordings to a trusted person via email or text message. And with one touch of a button, you can listen back on the conversation from the convenience of your phone.

record a doctor's visit

2. During your appointment, place the phone in front of you, between you and the doctor

Set the phone to Do Not Disturb mode to avoid interruptions.

3. Open the app, and press the Record button.

That’s it! If you leave your phone in a purse or coat pocket, it won’t be able to pick up the audio clearly. As you visit with your doctor, project your voice and avoid chewing gum, drinking or eating. Chewing can make us mumble and records as background noise, making it more difficult to hear the speakers on the audio file.

How to Use Your Appointment Recordings

Having recordings of your medical appointments helps you gain a deeper understanding of your health concerns and care instructions, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Listening to the conversation again after the visit allows the information to process and absorb. This is especially helpful if your mind wandered when receiving difficult or confusing information.

Plan to transcribe doctor appointments if you want to have them available in a written format , such as a Word Doc, PDF or Plain Text. We think this step is important if you keep a file of medical records related to an ongoing condition. Transcriptions make it easier to share information with your pharmacist, specialists other healthcare professionals. 

How to Transcribe Doctor Visit Recordings

Ordering a transcription is simple in the Rev app. In the Rev Voice Recorder app, scroll through your list of recordings. Tap the one you want to transcribe, then tap the blue “Transcribe” button. Rev guarantees 99% accuracy for our transcription service.

Rev Voice Recorder Android

Did you record your doctor visit on a different app or recorder? No problem! You can upload your recorded audio or video file here and get a transcript back in a matter of hours. Rev only costs $1.50 per audio or video minute for transcriptions.

Some doctors use language we’re not used to, and we need to look up the definitions to fully grasp the meaning. We recommend printing a copy of the transcription. You can make notes on the paper to help you learn and retain the information. A transcription is also helpful for appointments detailing dosages and elaborate care instructions involving a home health aid or caretaker. Simply make a copy and share it with them!

Above all, we want you to get the most out of your next medical appointment. Learning how to record doctor visits, using a simple app and later choosing to transcribe doctor appointments lets you access the information over and over again to better understand your health and make informed decisions.

Everybody’s Favorite Speech-to-Text Blog

We combine AI and a huge community of freelancers to make speech-to-text greatness every day. Wanna hear more about it?

ScienceDaily

Can patients record doctor's visits? What does the law say?

Traffic stops, office conversations, and even doctor's visits -- more and more people today are choosing to record life's encounters. If you are doctor, there is a good chance that at least one of your last 10 patients recorded their visit -- either with or without permission. This "new reality" has some doctors and health care clinics worried about the ownership of recordings and their potential to be used in complaints or even law suits. Patients also worry that recording a doctor's visit might be illegal, especially if done covertly.

What exactly are the laws governing patient recordings? In an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , investigators on The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice's Open Recordings Project explain the often-confusing laws around recordings clinical visits.

"In the U.S., the situation is complex," said Dartmouth Institute Professor Glyn Elwyn, MD. "Wiretapping or eavesdropping statutes provide the primary legal framework guiding recording practices and protecting privacy, so a patient who would like to record a doctor's visit should familiarize themselves with laws in their state."

The primary distinction between state wiretapping laws is whether all parties must consent to the recording or just one party. In 'all-party' jurisdictions, covert recordings, on the part of doctors or patients, are illegal as everyone being recorded must consent. In 'one-party' jurisdictions, the consent of any one party in the conversation is sufficient, so a patient can record a clinical encounter without the doctor or health care provider's consent. *Currently 39 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., conform to the 'one-party' consent rule, while the remaining 11 are 'all-party' states.

While many doctors -- and health care organizations are concerned about how recordings could be shared or used as part of a complaint, Elwyn and co-authors note liability insurers often feel differently. At the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona -- one of the few health care organizations in the country to offer patients recordings of office visits -- doctors who take part receive a 10 percent reduction in the cost of their medical defense, and $1 million extra liability coverage.

The authors also noted that while patients theoretically are free to share consensual recordings on social media, there's little evidence they're doing so. "Most people are sharing their recordings with a family member or caregiver, or they are listening to recording themselves, so they can better recall the information they received during the encounter," Elwyn said.

In fact, in a review of 33 studies of patient use of audio-recorded clinical visits, the Open Recordings researchers found that 71 percent of patients listened to their recordings, while 68 percent shared them with a caregiver. The studies also reported greater understanding and satisfaction in patients who receive recordings.

With more and more patients seeking to record their clinical visits, Elwyn and Open Recordings researchers, say that now is the time for doctors and health care organizations to embrace the value of recording.

"Health care overall is moving toward greater transparency and patient recordings are going to become more common," Elwyn said. "That means there would be tremendous benefit to patient advocacy groups, health care organizations, providers and policymakers working together to develop clear guidelines and policies around the responsible, positive use of open recordings."

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Journal Reference :

  • Mary Castaldo et al. Can Patients Make Recordings of Medical Encounters?What Does the Law Say? JAMA , July 2017 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2017.7511

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July 10, 2017

Can patients record doctor's visits? What does the law say?

by The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice

Can patients record doctor's visits? What does the law say?

Traffic stops, office conversations, and even doctor's visits—more and more people today are choosing to record life's encounters. If you are doctor, there is a good chance that at least one of your last 10 patients recorded their visit—either with or without permission. This "new reality" has some doctors and health care clinics worried about the ownership of recordings and their potential to be used in complaints or even law suits. Patients also worry that recording a doctor's visit might be illegal, especially if done covertly.

What exactly are the laws governing patient recordings? In an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , investigators on The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice's Open Recordings Project explain the often-confusing laws around recordings clinical visits.

"In the U.S., the situation is complex," said Dartmouth Institute Professor Glyn Elwyn, MD. "Wiretapping or eavesdropping statutes provide the primary legal framework guiding recording practices and protecting privacy, so a patient who would like to record a doctor's visit should familiarize themselves with laws in their state."

The primary distinction between state wiretapping laws is whether all parties must consent to the recording or just one party. In 'all-party' jurisdictions, covert recordings, on the part of doctors or patients, are illegal as everyone being recorded must consent. In 'one-party' jurisdictions, the consent of any one party in the conversation is sufficient, so a patient can record a clinical encounter without the doctor or health care provider's consent. *Currently 39 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., conform to the 'one-party' consent rule, while the remaining 11 are 'all-party' states.

While many doctors— and health care organizations are concerned about how recordings could be shared or used as part of a complaint, Elwyn and co-authors note liability insurers often feel differently. At the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona—one of the few health care organizations in the country to offer patients recordings of office visits—doctors who take part receive a 10 percent reduction in the cost of their medical defense, and $1 million extra liability coverage.

The authors also noted that while patients theoretically are free to share consensual recordings on social media, there's little evidence they're doing so. "Most people are sharing their recordings with a family member or caregiver, or they are listening to recording themselves, so they can better recall the information they received during the encounter," Elwyn said.

In fact, in a review of 33 studies of patient use of audio-recorded clinical visits, the Open Recordings researchers found that 71 percent of patients listened to their recordings, while 68 percent shared them with a caregiver. The studies also reported greater understanding and satisfaction in patients who receive recordings.

With more and more patients seeking to record their clinical visits, Elwyn and Open Recordings researchers, say that now is the time for doctors and health care organizations to embrace the value of recording.

"Health care overall is moving toward greater transparency and patient recordings are going to become more common," Elwyn said. "That means there would be tremendous benefit to patient advocacy groups, health care organizations , providers and policymakers working together to develop clear guidelines and policies around the responsible, positive use of open recordings."

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Should You Record Your Doctor's Visit?

Documenting it could help patients and families retain key information.

Should you record your doctor's appointment

Remembering everything a doctor tells you can be difficult under any circumstances. Add on such complications as pain, anxiety, hearing loss or cognitive issues and patients are at risk of forgetting or misremembering important medical information. 

To counter these issues, some patients are documenting their medical visits with a digital audio recorder or their smartphone, reports the  New York Times . While many doctors may object to the practice out of concern that confidential discussions could be shared online or used in malpractice lawsuits, others support the trend. These doctors include James Ryan, a family practitioner in Ludington, Mich., whose office provides recordings for his patients.

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After getting patients’ approval, Ryan routinely records appointments and uploads the audio to a secure web platform that patients and their family members can listen to anytime. The system is annotated so that patients can easily locate specific topics of conversation. 

Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the practice are much older patients with family members who don't live in town, but who want to be actively involved in their care, Ryan tells AARP. "If they have questions, they can add them to the chart" that accompanies the audio, he said. The system also provides helpful information that the doctor may not otherwise know. For example, patients often minimize their symptoms when speaking with Ryan, but then their children listen to the recordings and provide a different perspective. "Often the son or daughter make me aware of the severity of what [the patient is] coping with," Ryan said. 

Ryan has found that age is not a barrier to using the recorded technologies. "Many people might think that some seniors don't have a grasp on technology, but that is not true. Some of the biggest advocates I have are 70-plus." 

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While not all doctors offer this service, some encourage patients to record their visits. And patients seem to be taking advantage of this option. A review of previous studies found that of those patients who made recordings, 72 percent listened to them; 68 percent shared them with a caregiver ; and individuals receiving recordings reported greater understanding and recall of medical information, according to Glyn Elwyn, a researcher at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. She wrote about the trend in a recent  Journal of the American Medical Association   editorial .

Is it legal?

Patients do have the legal right to record medical visits , although it is easier in some states than in others. Eleven states have wiretapping or eavesdropping laws that require all parties being recorded to consent: California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.

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However, in the majority of states and the District of Columbia, the law requires only one party to consent. While you could record in these states without your doctor's knowledge, many medical experts recommend not doing so. 

“It fundamentally disturbs the relationship” and undermines trust between doctor and patient, Elwyn told the  Times . The patient also may want to stop and start recording if information is discussed that they prefer not to share with family.

The most important thing is to have open dialogue between the doctor and patient, Ryan says. The practice of recording appointments is "not always a positive thing for every individual. It is something to be used in order to help the patient, not just to do it because it can be done." 

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Kim Hayes is a senior producer for AARP and has written on social justice issues for numerous organizations, including the National Organization for Women, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She served as editor of the Native American Report newsletter.

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Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Doctor's Visit

On this page:

  • Decide what questions are most important to ask the doctor
  • Stay focused on why you are there
  • Be honest with your doctor
  • Share your point of view about the visit with your doctor
  • Remember, the doctor may not be able to answer all your questions
  • Four tips to help you remember the doctor's instructions

Have you ever left your doctor’s office realizing you forgot to ask an important question? Or were you frustrated because you didn’t fully understand the doctor’s instructions? These tips may help.

1. Decide what questions are most important to ask the doctor

Before your appointment, pick three or four questions or concerns that you most want to talk about with the doctor . You can tell him or her what they are at the beginning of the appointment, and then discuss each in turn. If you have time, you can then go on to other questions.

2. Stay focused on why you are there

Although your doctor might like to talk with you at length, each patient is given a limited amount of time. To make the best use of your time, stick to the point. For instance, give the doctor a brief description of the symptom, when it started, how often it happens, and if it is getting worse or better.

3. Be honest with your doctor

It is tempting to say what you think the doctor wants to hear, for example, that you smoke less or eat a more balanced diet than you really do. While this is natural, it’s not in your best interest. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, it's important to come out to your doctor, as people who are LGBT have unique health needs. Your doctor can suggest the best treatment only if you say what is really going on. For instance, you might say: “I have been trying to quit smoking , as you recommended, but I am not making much headway.”

4. Share your point of view about the visit with your doctor

Tell the doctor if you feel rushed, worried, or uncomfortable. If necessary, you can offer to return for a second visit to discuss your concerns. Try to voice your feelings in a positive way. For example, you could say something like: “I know you have many patients to see, but I’m really worried about this. I’d feel much better if we could talk about it a little more.”

5. Remember, the doctor may not be able to answer all your questions

Even the best doctor may be unable to answer some questions. Most doctors will tell you when they don’t have answers. They also may help you find the information you need or refer you to a specialist. If a doctor regularly brushes off your questions or symptoms as simply a part of aging, think about looking for another doctor .

You may also be interested in

  • Downloading or printing worksheets for talking with your doctor
  • Reviewing how to prepare for a doctor's appointment
  • Finding tips for talking with your doctor about sensitive issues

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This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed: February 03, 2020

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Recording Office Visits: Is it Right for Your Practice?

  • November 22, 2022
  • Deborah Kichler, RN, MSHCA

Look around your waiting room. You’ll likely find most patients on their phones texting, emailing, surfing the internet, or listening to music or podcasts. In this age of continuous real-time and on-demand media, how do you know whether your patients are also using their devices to record their office visit without your knowledge or consent? Should patients be allowed to record these visits?

It is understandable why some patients would want to record their office visit. The time with the physician is often brief and patients may feel rushed. In addition, patients may be overwhelmed by the amount or nature of what is being discussed and may have difficulty understanding and retaining diagnoses and follow-up instructions. Or perhaps they simply want to share the information discussed with a family member or friend.

While physicians might not be comfortable with the idea of being recorded, there are some definite upsides, including increased patient engagement and compliance with care. However, there always must be consent between doctor and patient.

Fear of litigation, loss of privacy, and the threat of publication on social media are valid concerns for the provider. 1 The physician-patient relationship is a partnership of trust. Any secret recordings would undermine that trust and could inhibit open disclosure of more sensitive information or admission of certain problems during their visit. While the federal wiretapping law (18 U.S. Code § 2511) requires only one person consent to record a conversation,2 California requires that all parties must consent to recording a conversation. Secretly recording physician visits is illegal in California.3 Therefore, recording a physician visit would not be allowed without the physician’s consent.

What about confidentiality issues? The HIPAA Privacy Rule is designed to protect patients’ health information from accidental or intentional disclosure by healthcare providers, but these regulations do not prohibit patients from disclosing their own protected health information (PHI), so long as it does not violate another party’s rights. Of course, if the physician records a patient encounter, HIPAA requires that the recording must be protected in the same manner as any other PHI. (For specific questions or concerns about HIPAA violations, we recommend consulting a healthcare attorney.)

Establishing Policies and Procedures

Regardless of whether you permit or prohibit video recording in your practice, it is prudent to develop clearly defined policies and procedures that protect patient privacy and honor the physician-patient relationship. Some tips to get started:

Make sure that all patients receive and sign a copy of your video/audio recording policies. Include these with your new patient intake materials or distribute them to existing patients upon check-in. Be sure to scan and keep the electronic signed copy in the patient’s medical records.

In your recording policy, be sure to address your office's position on patient and provider recording of visits.

If you do allow recording of visits, explain under what circumstances a recording may be done, and by whom.

If the physician/medical staff is recording the visit, include a consent form that fully discloses the purpose of the recording, who can view it, where it will be stored, and for how long.

For those practices that do not want to allow recordings of any kind, we recommend you post a highly visible, easy-to-read sign at the practice entrance or check-in area that clearly states: “This office strictly prohibits electronic recording or videotaping of any kind in consideration of the privacy and confidentiality of the physician-patient relationship. We sincerely appreciate your compliance with our request.”

If you are interested in a secure, HIPAA-compliant application that allows you to record clinical visits or provide video educational materials to your patients, please consult the CAP Marketplace . 

Deborah Kichler is a Senior Risk Management and Patient Safety Specialist for CAP. Questions or comments related to this article should be directed to [email protected]

Additional Resources:

“Secretly Recording Your Doctor’s Appointments. “Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, June 8, 2020. https://www.verywellhealth.com/secretly-recording-your-doctor-appointme…

“What to do When Patients Want to Record Their Doctor Visits.” Richard Cahill, J.D., March 1, 2017. https://www.thedoctorweighsin.com

“Can Patients Record Doctor’s Visits? What Does the Law Say?” The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, July 10, 2017. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170710135301.htm .

References:

1 Audio-Video Recording of Patient Visits. Jeffrey A. Woods, JD. The Sentinel, July 2018. home.svmic.com/resources/newletters/145/audio.

2 “State, federal laws govern whether doctor visits can be recorded.“ Laura J. Sigman, MD, JD, FAAP, April 30, 2019. www.publications.aap.org/aapnews/13600 .

3 Cal. Penal Code § 632(a) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?law…

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Should Patients Record Their Doctor Visits?

BY: Matthew Curtis | IN: Medical Malpractice

As personal electronic devices like cell phones and tablets become more advanced and ubiquitous, almost everyone now has the ability to record audio and video at any time with the touch of a button. This can be useful for a wide range of purposes, from fun uses like capturing animal tricks to more practical applications like recording meetings or traffic stops.

But what about recording your interactions with medical personnel? Should you record your doctor visits? Can it be used as evidence in a doctor malpractice case?

Is Recording a Doctor Visit Legal?

Two considerations arise when thinking about the legality of recording a doctor visit.

The first, patient privacy, isn’t actually an issue if the patient is the one who wants to record the encounter. A patient’s privacy rights are protected by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), but a patient may use, record, or disclose his or her own health information as he or she sees fit.

The other consideration is whether the law allows one party to record a conversation without the other party’s consent. Federal law and most state wiretapping statutes permit recording as long as one party in the conversation consents. Eleven states require the consent of every party to a phone call or conversation for the recording to be lawful: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Although Michigan’s statute seems on its face to be an “all-party consent” law, at least one Michigan court has ruled that one of the actual participants in a private conversation may record it without violating the law , because “eavesdropping,” as prohibited by the statute, refers only to overhearing or recording the private conversations of others. Michigan’s Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue, so it’s not entirely clear that you are legally permitted to record a doctor visit without telling your physician. Of course, you may record a visit with the consent of your doctor.

Why Record a Visit?

There are many good reasons to record a doctor’s visit. Visits can be constrained by time, forcing doctors and nurses to quickly give patients a lot of information that is sometimes difficult to understand or fully grasp within the short encounter. Having a recording of exactly what your physician diagnoses and recommends, and the discussion the two of you have, can help you more fully understand your condition and comply with your recommended care plan. A recording can be easier and less distracting than trying to take written notes, allowing you to more fully engage with your care providers while on site.

Recordings can be invaluable tools for both sides during litigation of medical malpractice cases . A potential plaintiff may be able to rely on recordings that support a physician’s failure to diagnose an issue or failure to illustrate a treatment plan that does not meet the established standard of care for an illness or injury. On the other hand, a patient’s recordings may also demonstrate that his or her illness or injury was caused or exacerbated by failure to follow the doctor’s recommendations or get treatment the doctor advised.

Will My Care Provider Consent to Recording?

Many care providers have negative feelings about patients who want to record visits, as summarized in a 2015 survey of dozens of recent texts discussing covert recordings. Many physicians feel that recording a visit indicates an attitude of mistrust or warns of a potentially litigious patient.

However, the study noted that “research extending over 45 years has examined the benefits, risks, and implications of clinicians providing copies of audio-recordings to patients. A recent review that included 33 studies showed that patients reported many benefits of receiving these recordings, including better information recall and understanding.” It may help to explain to your health care provider that you would like to record your visits so that you can take a more active role in the management of your health, especially if you suffer from an illness or chronic condition, are recovering from an injury, or are facing a major medical event like surgery. Recordings can help you more clearly understand and participate in your own care.

Have You Been a Victim of Medical Malpractice?

In the unfortunate event that you suffer an injury as a result of a medical mistake, or your doctor fails to meet the established standard of care, recordings of your treatment can be extremely valuable evidence. Provided these recordings are legally obtained, they are admissible evidence in Michigan medical malpractice cases.

Have you been the victim of medical negligence? Contact the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at Sommers Schwartz for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Matthew Curtis

record a doctor's visit

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record a doctor's visit

Medcorder: Understand Your Doc 12+

Record, transcribe, & discuss, medcorder, inc., designed for ipad.

  • 4.5 • 719 Ratings

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"What did the doctor say?" If you’ve ever struggled to answer this question, Medcorder can help. Medcorder is a FREE app that lets you record any doctor appointment at the touch of a button. After the appointment, Medcorder transcribes the conversation for you automatically, and lets you securely share the appointment with family and caregivers. You can even add & share photos of your charts or medications, or a video clip to document how you're feeling. Whether it's your annual physical, or one of many appointments helping you through a complex medical issue, Medcorder eliminates stress and uncertainty in remembering what the doctor said. Appointments are often complicated and fast-paced, so having a transcribed recording of what was said can make it simple to recall your doctor's precise instructions. Medcorder is secure and all data is encrypted. Our team follows industry security best practices, and we do not sell personal information to 3rd parties, nor do we display ads.

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719 Ratings

Perfect solution to a tough problem

My wife and I had scheduled a video conference to meet her new neurologist. We were scared, had a bazillion questions, and were overwhelmed by all the worst-case scenarios we’d imagined. Our daughter was also present, and I knew there would be no way I could take notes fast enough to be able to review all that would be covered in that half hour. Out of desperation I found this Medcorder app, and quickly realized I now had a tool that would let me actually LISTEN to what was being said rather than stress out about what I might be missing. We have an audio recording of the meeting, we were provided with a written transcript, and we are confident that we are moving in the right direction. Thank you, Medcorder! What a great tool to help us separate facts from fear!

Very helpful app

I recently started using Medcorder to record appointments with my doctor. I typically miss half of what she says, so this has been a life saver! It records and transcribes the full conversation perfectly. This has allowed me to look back on appointments after the fact so I can keep my wife in the loop. Happy wife = happy life!

Developer Response ,

Huzzah! I'm so happy this is working out well for you. We'd love to hear more of your story, if you could email [email protected]. Thanks! -David (CEO)

Doctor’s appointments

I use this anytime a doctor will allow the conversation to be recorded so that my two daughters can hear as well. Sometimes I wish the microphone was a little louder because it can be difficult to hear it when it is played back!
Thanks for the note, 1 GI JOE. Good news; we're rolling out some changes next week to provide automatic noise reduction and loudness normalization to Medcorder recordings that should make all of your recordings much more listenable! We love specific feedback like this; please keep it coming! -David, CEO

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The developer, Medcorder, Inc. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

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The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

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Can patients record doctor's visits? What does the law say?

The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice

Paul Barr, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice

image: In a recent JAMA paper, Dartmouth Institute Assistant Professor Paul Barr and colleagues examined the laws surrounding patient recordings of clinical encounters. view more 

Credit: The Dartmouth Institute

Traffic stops, office conversations, and even doctor's visits--more and more people today are choosing to record life's encounters. If you are doctor, there is a good chance that at least one of your last 10 patients recorded their visit--either with or without permission. This "new reality" has some doctors and health care clinics worried about the ownership of recordings and their potential to be used in complaints or even law suits. Patients also worry that recording a doctor's visit might be illegal, especially if done covertly.

What exactly are the laws governing patient recordings? In an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , investigators on The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice's Open Recordings Project explain the often-confusing laws around recordings clinical visits.

"In the U.S., the situation is complex," said Dartmouth Institute Professor Glyn Elwyn, MD. "Wiretapping or eavesdropping statutes provide the primary legal framework guiding recording practices and protecting privacy, so a patient who would like to record a doctor's visit should familiarize themselves with laws in their state."

The primary distinction between state wiretapping laws is whether all parties must consent to the recording or just one party. In 'all-party' jurisdictions, covert recordings, on the part of doctors or patients, are illegal as everyone being recorded must consent. In 'one-party' jurisdictions, the consent of any one party in the conversation is sufficient, so a patient can record a clinical encounter without the doctor or health care provider's consent. *Currently 39 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., conform to the 'one-party' consent rule, while the remaining 11 are 'all-party' states.

While many doctors-- and health care organizations are concerned about how recordings could be shared or used as part of a complaint, Elwyn and co-authors note liability insurers often feel differently. At the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona--one of the few health care organizations in the country to offer patients recordings of office visits--doctors who take part receive a 10 percent reduction in the cost of their medical defense, and $1 million extra liability coverage.

The authors also noted that while patients theoretically are free to share consensual recordings on social media, there's little evidence they're doing so. "Most people are sharing their recordings with a family member or caregiver, or they are listening to recording themselves, so they can better recall the information they received during the encounter," Elwyn said.

In fact, in a review of 33 studies of patient use of audio-recorded clinical visits, the Open Recordings researchers found that 71 percent of patients listened to their recordings, while 68 percent shared them with a caregiver. The studies also reported greater understanding and satisfaction in patients who receive recordings.

With more and more patients seeking to record their clinical visits, Elwyn and Open Recordings researchers, say that now is the time for doctors and health care organizations to embrace the value of recording.

"Health care overall is moving toward greater transparency and patient recordings are going to become more common," Elwyn said. "That means there would be tremendous benefit to patient advocacy groups, health care organizations, providers and policymakers working together to develop clear guidelines and policies around the responsible, positive use of open recordings."

10.1001/jama.2017.7511

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

The Doctor Weighs In

What To Do When Patients Want To Record Their Doctor Visits

By richard cahill, jd | published 3/1/2017 9, “doctor, can i record our conversation today” have you ever heard that question from a patient or a patient’s family member what are the pros & cons of allowing those recordings in clinic or the operating room.

“ Doctor, can I record our conversation today? ”

Have you ever heard that question from a patient or a patient’s family member? Or have you ever been worried a patient might record the visit without asking permission? As smartphones have become ubiquitous, giving patients a video and audio recorder that’s always at hand, the question of whether or not these devices should be allowed in the clinic or hospital setting is becoming increasingly more common.

A high-profile case involved a patient who accidentally recorded his colonoscopy, capturing derogatory remarks from the anesthesiologist while he was under anesthesia. The patient sued for malpractice and was awarded $500,000. While this case is extreme, it has raised the importance of addressing the issue in each practice and hospital.

Patients: To record or not to record?

The issue of allowing patients to record their appointments requires balancing potential privacy and liability risks with the potential benefits of improved patient recollection of instructions and treatment adherence. Patient pamphlets and other educational materials handed out at office visits are often lost or forgotten, and patients forget or remember inaccurately a significant portion of information shared at doctor visits. Patients who have a better and more complete understanding of their condition and the treatment plan are more likely to be actively engaged and involved in their healthcare.

Despite these potential benefits, it’s typically not the best course to allow patients to record the appointment. The recording devices could be disruptive and could be potentially intimidating to physicians and staff. In addition, these recordings—unlike the electronic health record—can be altered or manipulated to create an inaccurate portrayal of what actually occurred. These recordings can also easily be streamed or posted online, raising the issue of patient and staff privacy and HIPAA compliance. In addition, recording the visit may inhibit the flow of information between the doctor and patient. Patients may be less likely to be open about sensitive health issues because of the fear that the recording might be listened to by an outside party.

If a patient records a visit without the doctor’s permission, that can result in a loss of trust, which is the basis of a strong physician-patient relationship. Only about a dozen states nationwide prohibit electronic recordings done without the explicit consent of all participants in the encounter. It is important to know the specific laws concerning recordings in the jurisdiction where you practice. Regardless, it is recommended that patients be advised unequivocally that digital recordings by handheld devices, such as smartphones, are prohibited on the premises in order to protect the privacy of other patients and staff in compliance with federal and state privacy laws.

Post this notice clearly on your practice website, in the conditions of treatment signed by the patient at the outset of the relationship, and as office signage near the reception window. Suspected violations should be handled immediately. If this policy is violated, meet with the patient in a confidential setting to discuss the issue and reiterate the office policy. Depending on the circumstances and the status of the patient’s current episode of care, advise the patient that further violations may result in termination of the physician-patient relationship.

If patients ask to record the visit, encourage them instead to take notes or to have a trusted family member or friend join them for the office visit to help take notes, remember information, and ask questions. Doctors can also encourage patients to be engaged in the conversation with “ Ask Me 3 ,” a program that promotes clear communication through these three main questions:

  • What is my main problem?
  • What do I need to do?
  • Why is it important for me to do this?

Doctors should also ask patients to repeat back the information shared, and then correct any misunderstandings.

Important policies for recording surgical procedures

Practices and surgical centers also must decide whether they should video-record clinic visits or operative procedures. Office practices may want to record patient encounters to document when the informed consent occurred. Surgical centers may want to record surgeries for educational purposes.

It is important to note that this additional documentation will become a part of the record and can be subsequently accessed by government agencies responsible for healthcare oversight, such as state medical boards, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Health & Human Services, among others. Law enforcement will also be able to secure a copy with a search warrant or other court order. A patient may also obtain the recording with a valid HIPAA-compliant authorization.

If a medical group or healthcare facility is considering doing audio or video recordings, it is recommended that several factors be considered and implemented:

  • The practice or facility should create a written protocol detailing under what circumstances a digital recording—whether audio, video, or both—may be done.
  • The policy should also indicate how the digital recording will be stored, where it will be retained and by whom, and for how long it will be kept.
  • Any such protocol should reference the manner in which the digital document will be destroyed, consistent with federal and state privacy laws.
  • Patients should be advised in advance that a digital recording is being considered. The patient should sign a written release that explains the reasons for the recording. As with all consent forms, the signed authorization should be placed in the chart as part of the permanent record.
  • The practice or facility should put a procedure in place to ensure that the policies are being followed and that a responsible administrator conducts a periodic review to ensure the effectiveness of the protocols. Adopting and following these procedures helps to protect the practice or facility in the event of a subsequent inquiry as to the validity and completeness of the patient’s chart.

This post was sponsored by The Doctors Company , the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer.

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  • patient safety

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Richard Cahill, JD

Website: http://www.thedoctors.com.

Richard Cahill is Vice President and Associate General Counsel for The Doctors Company. Mr. Cahill provides legal support to the Claims and Patient Safety Departments. He has specialized in various facets of healthcare litigation for more than 25 years, including the defense of hospital and physician professional liability claims, managed care contract disputes, and related business torts. His principal clients have included Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, and Tenet Health Systems. Mr. Cahill has completed in excess of 175 trials and binding arbitrations during his career and has been appointed as an arbitrator in more than 350 cases involving healthcare issues.

Mr. Cahill received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from UCLA in 1975 and his juris doctor from Notre Dame Law School in 1978. He lectures frequently around the country on topics related to the healthcare industry. He has an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

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I love this post but just a tip… you should really write longer articles. I hear it helps a lot with getting new visitors. And I think your writing style would keep people really interested in what you had to say about all of this

Clearly written by an attorney whose clients are doctors and not a reflection of patient centered care. What do you have to hide? Doctors now often have scribes in the room so it is only fair for the patient to be able to record the visit as well.

Is it possible, just possible, maybe even a little *tiny* bit, that preventing recordings also prevents evidence that could be useful in a malpractice claim?

Useful to whom?

I wish my patients would record our sessions. How often do they even remember the simple things I tell them, much less the more complex ideas I may share. If they could record my advice and listen to it over and over, maybe they would understand and actually follow some of my suggestions. This article is what you get when you ask a lawyer to comment on medical practice. Bad advice.

This position is anachronistic and headed in the wrong direction on many levels. Healthcare Advocacy Coaching considers recording doctor visits as a basic tenet of advocating for one’s self. During most visits doctors are invariably rushed, do not focus on patient needs /questions/ concerns but moreso on what the doctor wants to discuss. The majority of doctors speak in couched language, using sophisticated language and medical terminology that eludes all but the most medically sophisticated patients. Patients need to record the session so that they can review it repeatedly at home, slowly dissecting each chunk / topic that was discussed. Anxiety levels surrounding doctor visits are very high for most people and their anxiety (assiduously documented and reported) clouds their ability to ask questions, make comments, and advocate for their own needs. They are vulnerable, fearful, unsure and sometimes a bit confused about what the doctor is saying. Recording the session is currently the only option they have to eventually understand what happened during the interaction. All Healthcare Advocacy coaches are advising patients to: 1. Record their sessions 2. Change doctors if the doctor won’t allow them to record. Good luck with your plan.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts—I think we all agree that patient engagement and understanding is very important, as is trust between doctor and patient. We offer many resources on our site (thedoctors.com) to help doctors address issues with communication, including how to share information with patients who have varying levels of health literacy, using the repeat-back method, and how to involve family members or trusted friends to assist the patient during and after appointments. With all patient engagement methods, we try to examine the benefits and risks for both doctor and patient as we did here.

This commentary is wrong on so many scores at once – including advising doctors to tell patients things about the law in the relevant jurisdiction which may be simply untrue. There is no good reason to try to prevent a patient taking an audio-recording of their consultation home. Hostility to this well-established patient initiative is in my view both unethical and counter-productive. It will simply ensure that the practice continues to be carried out predominantly covertly. Happy with that docs?

We encourage doctors to know the specific laws concerning recordings in the jurisdiction where they practice and to use that to guide the policies in their practice. A strong physician-patient relationship with mutual trust is key, and we highly encourage doctors to use programs such as Ask Me 3 (www.thedoctors.com/AskMe3) that teach both patient and doctor how to help build that relationship and have effective conversations during office visits.

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New AI tools can record your medical appointment or draft a message from your doctor

In this photo provided by University of Michigan Health-West, Dr. Lance Owens, chief medical information officer at the university, demonstrates the use of an AI tool on a smartphone in Wyoming, Mich., on Sept. 9, 2021. The software listens to a doctor-patient conversation, documents and organizes it to write a clinical note. (University of Michigan Health-West via AP)

In this photo provided by University of Michigan Health-West, Dr. Lance Owens, chief medical information officer at the university, demonstrates the use of an AI tool on a smartphone in Wyoming, Mich., on Sept. 9, 2021. The software listens to a doctor-patient conversation, documents and organizes it to write a clinical note. (University of Michigan Health-West via AP)

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Don’t be surprised if your doctors start writing you overly friendly messages. They could be getting some help from artificial intelligence .

New AI tools are helping doctors communicate with their patients, some by answering messages and others by taking notes during exams. It’s been 15 months since OpenAI released ChatGPT. Already thousands of doctors are using similar products based on large language models. One company says its tool works in 14 languages.

AI saves doctors time and prevents burnout, enthusiasts say. It also shakes up the doctor-patient relationship, raising questions of trust, transparency, privacy and the future of human connection.

A look at how new AI tools affect patients:

IS MY DOCTOR USING AI?

In recent years, medical devices with machine learning have been doing things like reading mammograms, diagnosing eye disease and detecting heart problems. What’s new is generative AI’s ability to respond to complex instructions by predicting language .

Your next check-up could be recorded by an AI-powered smartphone app that listens, documents and instantly organizes everything into a note you can read later. The tool also can mean more money for the doctor’s employer because it won’t forget details that legitimately could be billed to insurance.

Country music star Luke Bryan speaks during a bill signing ceremony with Gov. Bill, right, on Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The legislation is designed to protect songwriters, performers and other music industry professionals against the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. The signing took place in Robert's Western World, an historic honky tonk in downtown Nashville. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Your doctor should ask for your consent before using the tool. You might also see some new wording in the forms you sign at the doctor’s office.

Other AI tools could be helping your doctor draft a message, but you might never know it.

“Your physician might tell you that they’re using it, or they might not tell you,” said Cait DesRoches, director of OpenNotes, a Boston-based group working for transparent communication between doctors and patients. Some health systems encourage disclosure, and some don’t.

Doctors or nurses must approve the AI-generated messages before sending them. In one Colorado health system, such messages contain a sentence disclosing they were automatically generated. But doctors can delete that line.

“It sounded exactly like him. It was remarkable,” said patient Tom Detner, 70, of Denver, who recently received an AI-generated message that began: “Hello, Tom, I’m glad to hear that your neck pain is improving. It’s important to listen to your body.” The message ended with “Take care” and a disclosure that it had been automatically generated and edited by his doctor.

Detner said he was glad for the transparency. “Full disclosure is very important,” he said.

WILL AI MAKE MISTAKES?

Large language models can misinterpret input or even fabricate inaccurate responses, an effect called hallucination . The new tools have internal guardrails to try to prevent inaccuracies from reaching patients — or landing in electronic health records.

“You don’t want those fake things entering the clinical notes,” said Dr. Alistair Erskine, who leads digital innovations for Georgia-based Emory Healthcare, where hundreds of doctors are using a product from Abridge to document patient visits.

The tool runs the doctor-patient conversation across several large language models and eliminates weird ideas, Erskine said. “It’s a way of engineering out hallucinations.”

Ultimately, “the doctor is the most important guardrail,” said Abridge CEO Dr. Shiv Rao. As doctors review AI-generated notes, they can click on any word and listen to the specific segment of the patient’s visit to check accuracy.

In Buffalo, New York, a different AI tool misheard Dr. Lauren Bruckner when she told a teenage cancer patient it was a good thing she didn’t have an allergy to sulfa drugs. The AI-generated note said, “Allergies: Sulfa.”

The tool “totally misunderstood the conversation,” said Bruckner, chief medical information officer at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “That doesn’t happen often, but clearly that’s a problem.”

WHAT ABOUT THE HUMAN TOUCH?

AI tools can be prompted to be friendly, empathetic and informative.

But they can get carried away. In Colorado, a patient with a runny nose was alarmed to learn from an AI-generated message that the problem could be a brain fluid leak. (It wasn’t.) A nurse hadn’t proofread carefully and mistakenly sent the message.

“At times, it’s an astounding help and at times it’s of no help at all,” said Dr. C.T. Lin, who leads technology innovations at Colorado-based UC Health, where about 250 doctors and staff use a Microsoft AI tool to write the first draft of messages to patients. The messages are delivered through Epic’s patient portal.

The tool had to be taught about a new RSV vaccine because it was drafting messages saying there was no such thing. But with routine advice — like rest, ice, compression and elevation for an ankle sprain — “it’s beautiful for that,” Linn said.

Also on the plus side, doctors using AI are no longer tied to their computers during medical appointments. They can make eye contact with their patients because the AI tool records the exam.

The tool needs audible words, so doctors are learning to explain things aloud, said Dr. Robert Bart, chief medical information officer at Pittsburgh-based UPMC. A doctor might say: “I am currently examining the right elbow. It is quite swollen. It feels like there’s fluid in the right elbow.”

Talking through the exam for the benefit of the AI tool can also help patients understand what’s going on, Bart said. “I’ve been in an examination where you hear the hemming and hawing while the physician is doing it. And I’m always wondering, ‘Well, what does that mean?’”

WHAT ABOUT PRIVACY?

U.S. law requires health care systems to get assurances from business associates that they will safeguard protected health information, and the companies could face investigation and fines from the Department of Health and Human Services if they mess up.

Doctors interviewed for this article said they feel confident in the data security of the new products and that the information will not be sold.

Information shared with the new tools is used to improve them, so that could add to the risk of a health care data breach.

Dr. Lance Owens is chief medical information officer at the University of Michigan Health-West, where 265 doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are using a Microsoft tool to document patient exams. He believes patient data is being protected.

“When they tell us that our data is safe and secure and segregated, we believe that,” Owens said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

record a doctor's visit

Yes, urgent care is convenient. But seeing your doctor may save your life.

The problem isn't convenience care itself, but rather that patients use it as a replacement for primary care physicians, rather than a supplement to them..

When Americans feel sick, they often face a choice: Try to make a doctor's appointment − and potentially  wait days or weeks − or head to the closest urgent care or retail clinic to see a provider right away.

For many, it's an easy decision.  Half of Americans have visited an urgent care center or retail clinic in the past five years, according to a new survey by the physician network MDVIP and Ipsos .

Walk-in clinics might seem like a godsend at a time of growing frustration with the health care system. In many ways, they are. But they also can pose a threat to Americans' health.

The problem isn't so-called convenience care itself, but rather that patients use it as a replacement for primary care physicians, rather than a supplement to them.

As an internist, I've seen the dangers of overreliance on convenience care firsthand.

One 55-year-old new patient had high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol as well as prediabetes, but no prior primary care physician. He had visited an urgent care center complaining of ear and neck pain, but after a hasty consultation with a doctor, left without a definitive diagnosis − just a prescription for antibiotics and ear drops. His symptoms persisted.

After a second visit to urgent care, he was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who ran several tests, all of which were negative.

Primary care visit may have saved my patient's life

Finally, he came to see me. Careful questioning revealed that his pain got worse with physical exertion and better with rest. Considering his multiple cardiac risk factors, I suspected blocked arteries − so I immediately sent him for a test to see if he had plaque in his arteries. He had greater than 90% blockages of three of his coronary arteries, including the " widowmaker ," and underwent triple vessel coronary artery bypass surgery the next day.

Despite two visits to urgent care and one to a specialist, this patient was unaware that he might be days away from a fatal cardiac event. His primary care visit may have saved his life.

Do you know heart attack signs? Heart disease is misdiagnosed in women. And it's killing us.

Or consider the sad story of a 64-year-old gentleman I knew. He had smoked two packs a day for three decades earlier in life, but had quit more than 15 years ago. One day, he developed shortness of breath and a cough, but no other symptoms of a respiratory infection. He went to urgent care, which examined him and sent him home with a " Z-Pak " of antibiotics.

When he failed to improve, he returned to urgent care a second time. They gave him another Z-Pak. Then he went a third time after his breathing worsened. Only then did they refer him for a chest CT scan, which revealed stage 4 inoperable lung cancer.

This poor man might have had his lung cancer diagnosed at a surgically curable stage if he had seen a primary care doctor regularly and received the annual low-dose chest CT scan recommended for smokers and ex-smokers in his age group.

The overreliance on antibiotics as a substitute for a deeper probe of patients' health isn't an anomaly. Urgent care centers are nearly three times as likely to prescribe antibiotics in situations where they aren't recommended, compared with office-based clinics, according to a Pew study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.

Primary care doctors track patients' health over time

Walk-in clinics are a practical option for spot treating a sprained ankle or getting a flu shot. But urgent care centers and other walk-in clinics aren't designed to track a patient's health over time or help someone manage a chronic condition like diabetes, high blood pressure or anxiety.

My daughter has a rare disease. We shouldn't have had to leave the US to save her life.

Research underscores the inherent problem with convenience care. In a study published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, researchers from the Mayo Clinic found that "continuity of care was lower for patients who used retail clinics than for patients who did not use retail clinics," which is worrisome – because "continuity of care is associated with many positive outcomes, including improved delivery of preventive services, decreased hospitalizations, lower health care costs and improved chronic disease management."

Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a professor at Harvard Medical School,  has reached a similar conclusion .

Consider the value that a long-standing relationship with a primary care doctor can provide. One patient came to me during a flare-up of her diabetes. Having seen her for years, I remembered that her flare-ups often occurred during periods when her daughter's mental health had deteriorated. I probed, and realized that the associated stress was the cause. We worked together on treating her anxiety and identifying coping skills.

I was able to make these critical connections only because I knew her history well. Urgent care clinicians, no matter how well-intentioned or individually skilled, wouldn't have the level of prior knowledge necessary to connect those dots.

Especially for younger adults, relying exclusively on urgent care can feel like a harmless shortcut, compared with the troubles of trying to get into a doctor's office. But there are no shortcuts to good health.

Maintaining a relationship with a primary care doctor and keeping up on routine care − from annual wellness exams that check blood pressure, to diagnostic screenings that identify body composition, to blood work that includes cholesterol, inflammatory markers, kidney and liver function − might not always seem convenient.

When it comes to protecting your health against serious illness, however, there is simply no substitute.

Dr. Andrea Klemes is chief medical officer for MDVIP , a national network of more than 1,100 primary care physicians.

For seniors, medical care can be a slog, but there are ways to rein it in

Older patients often churn through appointment after appointment. doctors or social workers may be able to design an easier care plan..

Susanne Gilliam, 67, was walking down her driveway to get the mail in January when she slipped and fell on a patch of black ice. Pain shot through her left knee and ankle. After summoning her husband on her phone, she made it back to the house with difficulty.

And then began a runaround so many people face when they interact with America’s uncoordinated health-care system.

Gilliam’s orthopedic surgeon, who managed previous difficulties with her left knee, saw her that afternoon but told her: “I don’t do ankles.” He referred her to an ankle specialist who ordered a new set of X-rays and an MRI. For convenience’s sake, Gilliam asked to get the scans at a hospital near her home in Sudbury, Mass. But the hospital didn’t have the doctor’s order when she called for an appointment. It came through only after several more calls. Meanwhile, scheduling physical therapist visits for her knee and ankle several times a week took hours of her time.

“The burden of arranging everything I need — it’s huge,” Gilliam told me. “It leaves you with such a sense of mental and physical exhaustion.”

The toll the U.S. health-care system exacts is, in some respects, the price of extraordinary progress in medicine. But it’s also evidence of the poor fit between older adults’ capacities and the health-care system’s demands.

How specialty medicine complicates care

“The good news is, we know so much more and can do so much more for people with various conditions,” said Thomas H. Lee, chief medical officer at Press Ganey, a consulting firm that tracks patients’ experiences with care. “The bad news is the system has gotten overwhelmingly complex.”

That complexity is compounded by the proliferation of guidelines for separate medical conditions, financial incentives that reward more medical care and specialization among clinicians, said Ishani Ganguli, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“It’s not uncommon for older patients to have three or more heart specialists who schedule regular appointments and tests,” she said. If someone has multiple medical problems — say, heart disease, diabetes and glaucoma — their health-care interactions multiply.

Ganguli is the author of a new study showing that Medicare patients spend about three weeks a year having medical tests, visiting doctors, undergoing treatments or medical procedures, seeking care in emergency rooms, or spending time in the hospital or rehabilitation facilities. (The data is from 2019, before the covid-19 pandemic disrupted care patterns. If any services were received, that counted as a day of health-care contact.)

That study found that slightly more than 1 in 10 people 65 and over, including those recovering from or managing serious illnesses, spent a much larger portion of their lives getting care — at least 50 days a year.

“Some of this may be very beneficial and valuable for people, and some of it may be less essential,” Ganguli said. “We don’t talk enough about what we’re asking older adults to do and whether that’s realistic.”

A ‘treatment burden’

Victor Montori, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has sounded an alarm for years about the “treatment burden” that patients experience.

In addition to time spent receiving health care, this burden includes arranging appointments, finding transportation to medical visits, getting and taking medications, communicating with insurance companies, paying medical bills and following recommendations such as dietary changes.

Four years ago — in a paper titled “ Is My Patient Overwhelmed? ” — Montori and several colleagues found that 40 percent of patients with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and neurologic disorders “considered their treatment burden unsustainable.”

When this happens, people stop following medical advice and report poorer quality of life, the researchers found. Especially vulnerable are older adults with multiple medical conditions and low levels of education who are economically insecure and socially isolated.

Older patients’ difficulties are compounded by medical practices’ increased use of digital phone systems and electronic patient portals — both are hard for many seniors to navigate — and the time pressures on physicians. “It’s harder and harder for patients to gain access to clinicians who can problem-solve with them and answer questions,” Montori said.

Meanwhile, clinicians rarely ask patients about their capacity to perform the work they’re being asked to do. “We often have little sense of the complexity of our patients’ lives, and even less insight into how the treatments we provide (to reach goal-directed guidelines) fit within the web of our patients’ daily experiences,” several physicians wrote in a 2022 paper on reducing treatment burden.

Consider what Jean Hartnett, 53, of Omaha and her eight siblings went through after their 88-year-old mother — who also cared for their ailing father — had a stroke in February 2021.

In the year after the stroke, both of Hartnett’s parents — fiercely independent Nebraska farmers — suffered setbacks, and medical crises became common. When a physician changed her mom’s or dad’s care plan, new medications, supplies and medical equipment had to be procured, and new rounds of occupational, physical and speech therapy arranged.

Neither parent could be left alone when the other needed medical attention.

“It wasn’t unusual for me to be bringing one parent home from the hospital or doctor’s visit and passing the ambulance or a family member on the highway taking the other one in,” Hartnett explained.

Hartnett moved in with her parents during the last six weeks of her father’s life, after doctors decided he was too weak to undertake dialysis. He passed away in March 2022. Her mother died months later in July.

What to ask your doctors

So, what can older adults and family caregivers do to ease health-care burdens?

To start, be candid with your doctor if you think a treatment plan isn’t feasible and explain why you feel that way, said Elizabeth Rogers, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Ask which interventions are most important in terms of keeping you healthy, and which might be expendable.

Doctors can adjust your treatment plan, discontinue medications that aren’t yielding significant benefits, and arrange virtual visits if you can manage the technological requirements. (Many older adults can’t.)

Ask whether a social worker or a patient navigator can help you arrange multiple appointments and tests on the same day to minimize the burden of going to and from medical centers. These professionals may also be able to connect you with transportation and other services. (Most medical centers have staff of this kind, but physician practices do not.)

If you don’t understand how to do what your doctor wants you to do, ask them: What will this involve on my part? How much time will this take? What kind of resources will I need to do this? And ask for written materials, such as self-management plans for asthma or diabetes.

“I would ask a clinician, ‘If I chose this treatment option, what does that mean not only for my cancer or heart disease but also for the time I’ll spend getting care?’” said Ganguli of Harvard. “If they don’t have an answer, ask if they can come up with an estimate.”

KFF Health News , formerly known as Kaiser Health News or KHN, is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF.

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When Teens Visit Doctors, Increasingly the Subject is Mental Health

Matt Richtel

By Matt Richtel

Increasingly, doctor visits by adolescents and young adults involve mental health diagnoses, along with the prescription of psychiatric medications.

That was the conclusion of a new study that found that in 2019, 17 percent of outpatient doctor visits for patients ages 13 to 24 in the United States involved a behavioral or mental health condition, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm or other issues. That figure rose sharply from 2006, when just 9 percent of doctor’s visits involved psychiatric illnesses.

The study , published Thursday in JAMA Network Open, also found a sharp increase in the proportion of visits involving psychiatric medications. In 2019, 22.4 percent of outpatient visits by the 13-24 age group involved the prescription of at least one psychiatric drug, up from 13 percent in 2006.

The Big Picture

The study is the latest evidence in a shift in the kinds of ailments affecting children, adolescents and young adults. For many decades, their health care visits involved more bodily ailments, such as broken bones, viruses and drunken-driving injuries. Increasingly, however, doctors are seeing a wide variety of behavioral and mental health issues.

An instructor stands next to a whiteboard in front of a classroom of students wearing orange uniforms.

The reasons are not entirely clear. Some experts have said that modern life presents a new kind of mental pressure, even as society has limited the risks of physical ailments.

The latest study does not posit a reason for the shift. But the pandemic alone was not to blame, it noted. “These findings suggest the increase in mental health conditions seen among youth during the pandemic occurred in the setting of already increasing rates of psychiatric illness,” wrote the authors, a pediatrician and psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School. “Treatment and prevention strategies will need to account for factors beyond the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic.”

The Numbers

The analysis was drawn from the National Ambulatory Care Survey, which asks a sample of clinicians from across the country about the reasons for patient visits. Between 2006 and 2019, patients aged 13 to 24 made 1.1 billion health care visits, of which 145 million involved mental health issues. But the share of mental-health-related visits rose each year, the study found, as did the prescription of psychiatric medications, including stimulants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and anti-anxiety drugs.

The study found that antidepressants had the greatest increase, but it did not specify the exact level, said Dr. Florence T. Bourgeois, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of the paper.

The prescription patterns leave an open question, she said.

“We can’t differentiate whether this speaks to the severity of conditions or changes in prescribing attitudes and trends,” she said. Either way, she added, “We are treating these conditions aggressively.”

Matt Richtel is a health and science reporter for The Times, based in Boulder, Colo. More about Matt Richtel

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‘Boys are disappearing’ from mental health care as signs of depression go undetected

Photo Illustration: The blurry outline of a teenage boy

Teenage boys are drowning in just as much of the depression and anxiety that’s been well documented in girls . Experts warn that many young men struggling with their mental health are left undetected and without the help they need.

“We are right to be concerned about girls,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “But I don’t ever want us to lose sight of the fact that boys aren’t doing well, either.”

Depression in boys may go unnoticed, Ethier and other experts said, because boys usually don’t show it through signs of melancholy typically found in girls.

“We have this very classic understanding of depression as being sad, being tearful, crying more, not eating as much and losing weight,” said Dr. Lauren Teverbaugh, pediatrician and child psychiatrist at Tulane University in New Orleans. “That’s just not how it looks for a lot of young boys.”

‘Boys are disappearing’

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found that while antidepressant prescriptions have risen dramatically for teenage girls and women in their 20s, the rate of such prescriptions for young men “declined abruptly during March 2020 and did not recover.”

Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, a pediatrician at the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center at the University of Michigan, led the study. He said that his finding that boys weren’t accessing antidepressant medications once the pandemic hit has been “perplexing.”

“In males, it’s theoretically possible that this reflects improved mental health, but I’m struggling with that explanation,” Chua said. “Given that everybody’s mental health got worse, I would have expected that boys’ antidepressant dispensing would have at least remained stable, not decrease.”

The more likely explanation in Chua’s experience as a pediatrician, he said, was that boys stopped engaging with the health care system overall during the pandemic, leading to an underdetection and, consequently, an undertreatment of mental health problems in young men.

“There was something happening to make male adolescents not come in for mental health,” Chua said. “They didn’t go to their doctors. They skipped physicals.”

“Boys are disappearing,” he said.

What does depression look like in boys?

Boys struggling with their mental health tend to show it with a shorter fuse: They’re easily irritated, frustrated or aggressive.

“A lot of times, parents who have boys with depression say that they’re walking on eggshells around them because they don’t know what would set them off,” said Dr. Mai Uchida, a pediatric psychiatrist and director of the Child Depression Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Parents, pediatricians and even psychiatrists may not pick up on mental health problems in boys, Uchida said, because “they don’t fit the stereotypical image of depression.”

Women have long been much more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men. But a 2013 study found that when “irritability” is considered a main symptom, the rate of depression actually equalized between the sexes: 30.6% of men and 33.3% of women.

In addition to irritability, depression symptoms in boys can include impulsivity, risk-taking behavior and being more argumentative than usual.

Dr. Willough Jenkins, a psychiatrist and the medical director of emergency and consultation liaison psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, blamed, in part, a societal normalization of teenage angst and irritability.

“There’s a myth that teenagers are supposed to be irritable, that they’re supposed to be cranky,” she said. “I think too many parents have heard that and think it’s normal behavior, when it’s really indicating that there could be a struggle.”

Evidence of mental health distress among teens — especially young girls — has been mounting for years. Covid-19 lockdowns worsened the situation.

In 2023, a sobering report from the CDC revealed that girls experienced unprecedented levels of sadness and hopelessness early in the pandemic.

The research might indicate that boys don’t require the same level of mental health care as girls. That’s not true, experts insist.

“Both boys and girls are struggling,” Jenkins said. “None of our young people are doing well in terms of their mental health.”

‘Anger caused by sadness’

Eighteen-year-old Noah Power, who lives in Yukon, Canada, said his struggles with anxiety and depression began when he was about 12 years old.

Eighteen-year-old Noah Power, who lives in Yukon, Canada.

His mental health symptoms first took the form of headaches and crushing pressure in his chest. Over time, those symptoms developed into a “rush of anger that I couldn’t explain,” he said. “It was like anger caused by sadness.”

Power said that expressing himself through anger and irritability felt like a natural, healthy outlet.

“It can be a bit much, but for us, we feel like we’re doing something good for our own brain,” he said.

In addition to long-term psychotherapy and medication, Power has relied on physical outlets for his anxiety and depression. Running, he said, is key.

“Being able to run and run and run and get all of my energy out has been the most helpful thing for me,” Power said. “You sweat out all of your energy.”

Lockdowns led to fewer referrals

Teachers, coaches and other caregivers outside of the home are on the front lines of monitoring teen mental health, Tulane’s Teverbaugh said.

“Not only do they see that child, but they see other children their same age also experiencing some of the same environmental factors,” she said. “They’re a really good measure for being able to pick up on something that is beyond the norm.” Teverbaugh and other experts said that many referrals for boys seeking mental health treatment stem from behavioral issues in school.

When schools went remote and sports and other activities were canceled in 2020, those referrals decreased.

“We’re often not seeing [boys] in the office, because it’s just not being picked up as much in the community,” she said.

Advice for parents

Mass General’s Uchida — a mother of three young boys — encourages parents to permit sons to express their sadness and frustrations.

“We have to really allow them to feel that and hold their hand and appreciate that they are expressing that kind of emotion,” she said. “They’re going through a lot. We often forget to empathize with them.”

Power said that having a parent or caregiver calmly listen, even during verbal outbursts, is helpful. “What we really, really appreciate is the listening and being able to just vent,” he said. “Just getting it all out is a huge relief.”

And if teenage boys can’t find the words to express themselves, allow them other outlets.

“They may not use emotional language like, ‘I feel sad,’” Teverbaugh said. “But when they’re playing their video games together, or they’re on the basketball court just goofing around, that’s engagement. That’s social interaction. That’s them being able to feel connected.”

Power also credits online gaming as a coping skill. “It’s an easy way to talk to your friends and have a good time,” he said. “Face-to-face social pressure can be a lot, especially when you’re going through something and you don’t want to break down in front of the person.”

record a doctor's visit

Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."

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  29. When Teens Visit Doctors, Increasingly the Subject is Mental Health

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  30. Why depression goes undetected in teen boys: Doctors warn about symptoms

    Teenage boys are drowning in just as much of the depression and anxiety that's been well documented in girls.Experts warn that many young men struggling with their mental health are left ...