This article explains how EverHealth Scribe protects your patients’ information: how visit audio is stored and how long it is kept, where your data lives, the HIPAA safeguards in place, and the agreement your practice needs before any patient information flows. It’s written so you can answer a patient’s questions with confidence.
How visit audio is stored and retained
- Temporary, not permanent. Visit audio is stored securely only while it’s needed to create your note.
- Deleted at finalization. As soon as the note is finalized, the audio recording is deleted.
- Encrypted the whole time. While it exists, the audio is protected with encryption.
Where your data is stored
Data is stored on secure servers located within the United States. The finalized note lives in the patient’s chart in OfficeEMR, the same as any other documentation in your practice.
HIPAA, encryption, and who can see the data
- Protected by HIPAA. Patient information handled by Scribe is protected under HIPAA, the same federal standard that protects the rest of your patients’ records.
- Secured with encryption. Data is secured with encryption technology to keep it confidential.
- Used only for care. Protected health information is used only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations as permitted by HIPAA, unless the patient asks you to share it with someone else, such as a family member.
Your part in using it safely
The technology protects the data. A few simple habits protect your patients’ trust:
- Ask first. Let the patient know you’re using a documentation assistant and get their okay before recording. Consent is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. See Explaining Scribe to your patients.
- Record only the visit. Start recording when the clinical conversation begins and stop when it ends.
- Review before you send. You’re the author of record. Read the note, correct anything inaccurate, and confirm it reflects the visit before sending it to the chart.
- Honor record requests. If a patient asks to see the transcript or summary, you can share it the same way you share their other records.
Frequently asked questions
Are the audio recordings saved?
Only temporarily. Audio is stored securely until the note is finalized, and the recording is deleted at that point.
Where is the data stored?
On secure servers located within the United States. The finalized note resides in the patient’s OfficeEMR chart.
Is patient information safe?
Yes. Information is protected under HIPAA and secured with encryption, and is used only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.
Who can access the data?
A patient’s protected health information is used only for their care as permitted by HIPAA, unless the patient asks that it be shared with someone else.
Can a patient see the transcript and summary?
Yes. A patient can request the transcript and note summary from the visit, and you can share it as you would their other records.
