Recording a telehealth session can be one of the most valuable tools in a provider’s clinical toolkit, supporting supervision, training, quality assurance, and continuity of care. But it comes with a clear ethical and legal requirement: the patient must consent before the recording begins. Getting that consent right protects your patients, protects your practice, and ensures your recordings are clinically usable.
Here is how to handle it correctly every time.
Why Consent for Recording Is Not Optional
Patients have a right to know when a session is being recorded. Recording a telehealth session without consent is a HIPAA violation and, in many states, a violation of wiretapping laws as well. Even in cases where recording is being done for legitimate clinical purposes like supervision or licensure, the requirement for patient consent does not change.
Consent for recording is separate from general telehealth consent. A patient who has agreed to participate in a virtual visit has not automatically agreed to have that visit recorded. These are two distinct consents that must be obtained and documented independently.
How to Obtain Consent Before the Session
The cleanest approach is to include recording consent in your pre-visit paperwork. Using SecureVideo’s e-documents feature, you can send a recording consent form to the patient before the appointment along with your standard intake and consent documents. The patient reviews and signs electronically, and the signed form is stored securely before the session begins. This approach:
- Documents consent with a timestamp before the recording starts
- Gives the patient time to read and understand what they are agreeing to without time pressure during the session
- Creates a clean audit trail that demonstrates the consent was obtained voluntarily
What to Cover in Your Recording Consent Form
A recording consent form for telehealth sessions should clearly explain:
- That the session will be recorded
- The purpose of the recording (supervision, training, quality review, licensure documentation)
- Who will have access to the recording and under what conditions
- How long the recording will be retained
- How the recording will be stored and protected
- The patient’s right to withdraw consent and what that means for their care
Keep the language plain and direct. Patients should understand exactly what they are agreeing to before they sign.
What to Do If Consent Was Not Obtained in Advance
If a patient arrives at a session without having completed pre-visit consent paperwork, obtain verbal consent at the start of the session before starting the recording. State clearly that you would like to record the session, explain the purpose, and confirm the patient’s agreement on camera before the recording begins. Document in your session notes that verbal consent was obtained, noting the date, time, and the patient’s confirmation.
Do not start the recording before the consent conversation is complete.
Storing Recordings Securely
Recording consent is only meaningful if the recordings themselves are stored in a secure, access-controlled environment. SecureVideo’s secure cloud recording feature stores session recordings with role-based access controls, so only the authorized users you designate can retrieve and view them. Recordings are not accessible to unauthorized staff, general platform administrators, or anyone outside your defined access list.
This level of control is not available on general consumer video platforms, where recordings may be stored in shared organizational drives or accessible to account administrators beyond the clinical team.
A Simple Pre-Session Checklist for Recorded Sessions
- Confirm that the patient signed the recording consent form in advance via e-documents, or obtain and document verbal consent at the start of the session
- Start the recording only after consent is confirmed
- Note in your session documentation that consent was obtained and when
- After the session, verify the recording is stored in SecureVideo’s secure cloud with appropriate access restrictions applied
Following this process consistently protects your patients, your license, and your practice every time you record. Learn more about SecureVideo’s secure cloud recording feature or start a free trial to see how it works in your workflow.