Navigating Confidentiality in Telehealth: Is Virtual Therapy Secure?
Are you looking for a safe space where you can talk about your mental health challenges without fear of judgment?
How about not wanting to travel to faraway places because you don’t have easy access to licensed mental health experts where you live? What if you’re struggling to get help quickly, because of the long waiting times to meet a counselor in person?
Telehealth, a type of virtual therapy, where you can receive care remotely using technology tools, could be exactly what you’re looking for. All you do is simply go online onto a secure digital platform and talk to your counselor the same as you would in person.
It’s simple, easy, and fuss-free.
But while telehealth has been a godsend for many, others have questions about just how secure, safe, and confidential virtual therapy is. As technology becomes an increasingly important part of our lives, it’s natural to have concerns about therapist-client privacy in telehealth sessions.
On this page, we will explore:
- What online therapy is and how it works
- Is virtual therapy safe?
- Benefits and risks of telehealth therapy
- Questions to ask before you go ahead with an online therapy session
- Are you a good candidate for online therapy?
- Online therapy at Mission Connection
- Getting telehealth counseling today
What Is Online Therapy?
Online therapy, also known variously as teletherapy, telehealth counseling, and sometimes telepsychology, is a form of mental health therapy that is carried out by licensed therapists through secure digital platforms. Platforms can take the forms of videoconferencing, phone audio, email, text messaging tools, and smartphone applications.¹
Teletherapy can be a convenient option for clients who face challenges when it comes to visiting therapists for in-person sessions. Sometimes the location of the therapy center may be too far to get to or the client may have physical limitations that make traveling difficult.
Other clients may have time constraints, which makes it hard to commute for hours for sessions, in which case teletherapy helps cut commuting and waiting times.
Virtual therapy offers the same benefits to a client as in-person therapeutic sessions. Sessions can include some types of tests or assessments, interventions and treatments, counseling and education/skills training, consulting, and a lot more.
What’s key to note is that even though the mode of delivery is different, you can expect the same level of quality care. Mental health care practitioners have to adhere to the same rules and regulations in terms of ethics, confidentiality, and best care practices.
How Secure Is Online Therapy?
The security of online therapy is a concern not just for clients but also for healthcare providers and legislators. The HIPAA, or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was implemented in 1996 for the purpose of creating federal standards to protect a patient’s sensitive and private health information from being disclosed without their consent.²
Healthcare providers also go through the same rigorous vetting process as they do for in-person sessions. For instance, psychologists or therapists are required to be licensed in the state that they’re practicing in, and so are the mental health care centers that provide similar services.
While safeguards like HIPAA exist, and there are numerous benefits to using digital platforms for teletherapy, risks exist. By learning about the pros and cons in detail, you’ll be able to better protect yourself online while getting the mental health care you need.
Pros and Cons of Online Therapy
If you’re looking for secure online mental health support options, teletherapy offers a lot of benefits. At the same, being informed about the potential negatives can help you make the right decisions about which center to choose for your care.
What Are the Benefits of Online Therapy?
Just some of the many pros offered by teletherapy include:³
1. Increased Accessibility
Many clients don’t have access to mental health care facilities in the area where they live. Having the ability to access mental health support safely through online mode helps bridge the gap for people who live in remote or underserved areas.
2. Continuity of Care
Virtual therapy facilitates continuity of care, critical to establishing positive and sustainable outcomes. Clients, especially those with travel and scheduling conflicts, can be more motivated to engage and stick to appointments when there’s the flexibility of talking to a therapist online.
3. Increased Convenience, Choice, and Flexibility
You can book virtual therapy sessions at the times that are most convenient for them, which can be a boon when you have tight or rigid schedules. Both clients and healthcare providers can also reduce the burden of to and fro travel, eliminating the time required for long and tiring commutes.
With many online therapists going online, clients have a world of choice when it comes to the licensed therapist they want to utilize, or their preferred timings when it’s outside regular clinic hours.
4. Reduced Costs
Teletherapy costs can be comparatively lower than in-person sessions since there is minimal overhead investment for both the providers and the clients.⁴ Physical centers may need to pay rent, technology subscriptions, phone bills, and the like, which can add up over time.
5. Greater Comfort and Anonymity
Some people may feel more comfortable speaking from the privacy and comfort of their homes as opposed to being in a clinical setting. Others may prefer online sessions given how comfortable they are with using the technology that’s already such a convenient part of their lives.
6. Choice of Therapy
Telehealth platforms can offer a range of options when it comes to therapeutic modalities. For example, at Mission Connection, we offer Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy DBT), Trauma-Focused Therapy, and many more. The treatments available can also treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including, depression, anxiety, bipolar, and anger management issues.
What Are the Negatives of Digital Therapy?
Digital therapy comes with a few risks.
1. Technology Limitations
If clients don’t have access to the right technological tools or reliable internet connectivity, it can limit their ability to comfortably access online therapy sessions. Alternatively, clients can use government-sponsored internet services, and check out the local library or non-profit organizations to locate stable internet options. You can even use your smartphone to access many health services.
2. Absence of Critical Body Language Cues
More of a negative for healthcare providers, digital therapy can impede the therapist’s ability to read non-verbal cues critical to ‘reading’ the patient correctly and making an accurate diagnosis. This can be addressed by the client zooming the video out more to the degree that they’re comfortable with during consults.
3. Privacy Concerns
Some patients may continue to have concerns about the confidentiality and privacy of their data, regardless of assurances by the telehealth platform on the security of their platform.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing Online Therapy
It’s normal to have concerns when you’re considering online therapy. Remember to ask questions to understand what you can expect from your therapist or mental healthcare provided so you’re fully informed before making the commitment.
Here is a list of potential questions you could cover:⁵
Are the therapists licensed and credentialed?
Your mental health care services provider should be using stringent verification processes to ensure the level of qualifications and state licensure required to practice. Each therapist or center has to be licensed for the specific state they’re practicing in.
Does my therapist have experience in online counseling and in addressing my specific mental health disorder?
Online talk therapy isn’t very different from in-person counseling, but experience ensures that your sessions function in a more seamless manner. Experience in dealing with your specific disorder indicates specialist expertise and ability to cater to your unique needs and challenges.
How do you ensure my data is protected from unlawful or unauthorized access?
Find out if your provider is HIPAA-compliant and what procedures they follow to ensure patient data privacy and confidentiality (for example, restricted access to authorized professionals, end-to-end encryption, and so on).
What happens when there are technology issues like my internet suddenly dying?
Your healthcare provider should be able to give you options for rescheduling. If you frequently encounter internet connectivity issues, it may be worthwhile checking out other options, like the ones we listed earlier.
Can I switch between online and in-person sessions depending on my schedule?
This flexibility may vary depending on your healthcare provider. At Mission Connection, we’re all about convenience and healthcare, so we’re happy to schedule online/in-person sessions based on your needs.
What are the payment options and do you accept insurance for online therapy, and if so, which providers?
Prior to the start of the treatment, you want to check the different ways by which you can pay. Also, find out if your insurance provider covers the treatment, and whether they’re listed as one of the providers accepted by the healthcare facility.
You can find out more about Mission Connection’s multiple payment options here.
Are You a Good Candidate for Online Therapy?
Although online therapy can be flexible and convenient, that may not be the case with everyone. In general, opt for online therapy if:
- You’re comfortable with technology. You don’t need to be an expert but you do need to know your way around being able to open and work with the telehealth platform.
- You have a stable and good quality internet connection. Otherwise, the video/audio quality and continuity of your sessions can be impacted.
- You have a quiet and well-lit space from which to make the calls. Background noise and poor video can make it difficult to interact with your therapist and vice versa.
- You’re motivated to stick to the appointments. You’re disciplined enough to ensure you show up at your sessions on time and actively participate in them.
- You have a tight schedule and you want some flexibility in scheduling. You want to limit the amount of traveling you’re doing so that you have space to fit in qualitative sessions with your therapist.
Online Therapy at Mission Connection
We know how brave it is to seek help, and we understand you may have concerns about just how private and secure your health information and our teletherapy sessions are.
At Mission Connection, client safety and confidentiality during all our sessions, whether it’s online or in-person, is one of our highest priorities. We ensure that our telehealth platform and people adhere to privacy regulations, including HIPAA, so you can rest assured your personal health information is secure with us.
Our state-licensed therapists are rigorously vetted and adhere to online therapy best practices, enabling us to offer you care that’s both effective and ethical. Our secure platform has safeguards in place to ensure that client data is securely stored and protected from unauthorized access.
We also offer flexible scheduling to accommodate the needs of clients who can’t otherwise make it to the center for in-person sessions.
At Mission Connection, we believe that trust is one of the cornerstones of high-quality mental healthcare. We are committed to ensuring that you always receive a secure and compassionate virtual therapy experience, so you can focus on getting better without ever having to worry about privacy and confidentiality.
Reach Out for Telehealth Today
At Mission Connection, we’re not just about the beneficial use of technology. We take pride in our unique clinical foundation – which is an approach focused on long-term and sustainable recovery not just temporary symptom relief.
We work with our clients one-on-one to ensure we’re not just treating a condition, we’re also helping them leverage their talents, strengths, and goals, so they can start to create a life that they truly enjoy living. You’ll be taught skills that you can use lifelong to help you take charge of your life.
We believe that every client is a unique individual who deserves respect, dignity, and quality care. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, or any other form of mental health challenge, our compassionate experts are ready to meet you where you are and hand-hold you throughout your journey with us.
So, take the first step today. Simply contact us at 866-446-3945 or fill out our pre-assessment form to get started. You’ll soon find out just how secure, reliable, and effective our online therapy sessions are.
Help is just one click away.
References
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA GUIDELINES for the Practice of Telepsychology. https://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/telepsychology-revision.pdf
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). (2024, May 13). U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html
- Telehealth for Providers: What You Need to Know. (n.d.). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | CMS. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/telehealth-toolkit-providers.pdf
- American Psychological Association. (2015, October 7). What you need to know before choosing online therapy. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/telehealth/online-therapy
- American Psychological Association. (2015, October 7). What you need to know before choosing online therapy. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/telehealth/online-therapy
