Why should you care about your data?
Telehealth is here to stay in the modern therapy world. The paper file and sometimes even physical office locations feel like distant dreams—your data and where you received therapy was in one place. Now, “privacy” is a buzzword shrouded in zeros and ones, and less of a tangible promise. But the average tech consumer and modern therapy-goer deserve to have some idea of what is happening behind the scenes.
For example, several electronic health record (EHR) companies (e.g., those who run the systems behind your “client portal”) are piloting AI features (optional—for now) to assist therapists reduce administrative burden. While such features are marketed as “private” and “secure,” there isn’t enough data to support these claims. Kirkland EMDR Counseling approaches this phenomenon with the same caution as those venture-capitalist mental health therapy companies who advertised secure, affordable online counseling only to come out, years later, with several lawsuits against them for breaches in confidentiality, like using and selling client data for marketing purposes.
Like any new cyber technology, it’s important to remember that these advancements move at the speed of profit and NOT the rate at which people and companies adopt security standards. Cyberhackers and marketing firms who sell your data LOVE this phenomenon! Take this for example: in the early days of the web, hackers found ways to compromise passwords and databases containing them. “Password123!” didn’t cut it anymore, so we solved it in the 2010s with gibberish like “hf%#$fd-randomWords-33428&” and multi-factor authentication. Now, imagine that folks are still catching up to these security practices; all the while, our digital landscape is a landmine of AI startups sticking their heads wherever they can sell convenience.
This blog post is not meant to be all doom and gloom. I can’t recommend any one singular security practice to save your personal health information (PHI) from ever being compromised. Ultimately, the average consumer has little option but to carefully vet the providers they choose to see. Some discernment can go very far in preserving your sense of security! Be selective of whom you share your information with online—where, how, and why—and think critically about new technology. And lastly… ALWAYS take Telehealth sessions in private locations where you may speak freely and NEVER in a moving vehicle. :)
