Many Australians are recording their visits to the doctor – some without permission

How Recording Medical Appointments Can Improve Patient Care

You’re at a doctor’s appointment where you are told you might have a serious illness. You will have to undergo several different tests to get a firm diagnosis. The treatment regime is complicated.

When you leave the appointment, you are worried and you feel overwhelmed with information. You realize you’re already starting to forget most of what the doctor said.

This experience is very common. Research shows people often forget, or misremember, what they are told during medical appointments.

How Recording Might Help

Research exploring what happens when patients are given recordings of medical appointments has shown significant benefits. The practice helps patients recall and understand their consultation and gives them greater satisfaction in their care.

Studies looking at consultation recordings at selected Australian hospitals have found recording also improves patients’ sense of control.

What we haven’t known so clearly is whether patients are actually making recordings in real life. And if so, why? Are they doing it openly or in secret? And what do they think about sharing these recordings with other people?

What We Learned

We ran an online survey of Australian adults in mid-2022, asking them these sorts of questions.

Of 236 people who completed the survey, 71% said they would consider recording a doctor’s visit. Some 26% had openly done so (that is, they’d recorded a medical consultation with permission from the clinician).

Their reasons included wanting to keep track of important medical information, and listen again to improve their understanding. As one person told us:

With a cancer diagnosis there is a lot of information to take onboard and process. You can feel rushed and not have time to take notes.

Another recorded to help manage living with disability:

I have an acquired brain injury which impacts memory and was not able to take anyone with me. I am also hearing-impaired so use a transcription app to ‘read’ what is being said when the other person is wearing a mask and I am unable to lip read.

Sharing Recordings

Patients described sharing their recordings only with trusted others, such as family or friends involved in their care, or other members of their health-care team such as their GP, disability support worker, or therapist.

Previous research has shown that while many health professionals support recording, others may feel uncomfortable about being recorded because they worry about the recording being posted on social media, or used in other potentially harmful ways beyond their control.

However, our study found patients are strongly opposed to sharing recordings more widely, such as on social media. It was seen as a significant breach of trust in the health professional-patient relationship. One person said:

To do so would be very unethical […] What is shared can very easily be misconstrued, misrepresented.

Is Recording Actually Allowed?

Making a recording of a private conversation, whether audio or video, is governed by the law. In Australia, the law varies between different states and territories.

In several jurisdictions (Victoria, Queensland, the Northern Territory, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Tasmania) patients don’t need permission if the recording is only for their own use. But in South Australia and Western Australia recording without permission could result in a fine or jail term.

Regardless of the law, asking for someone’s OK to record them is usually the best option.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that while recording medical consultations is not a widespread practice, many patients are interested in recording their visits to the doctor, and would like their health services to support them to do so. Policies and practices that prevent recording, without good reason, should be amended to support recording, with clear guardrails around consent and disclosure.

FAQs

Q: How common is recording medical consultations?

A: Our study found that 26% of patients have openly recorded a medical consultation with permission from the clinician.

Q: Why do patients record medical consultations?

A: Patients record to keep track of important medical information, and to listen again to improve their understanding.

Q: Is recording medical consultations allowed?

A: In Australia, the law varies between different states and territories. In some jurisdictions, patients don’t need permission to record, but in others, recording without permission could result in a fine or jail term.

Q: How can patients record medical consultations?

A: Patients can record with permission from the clinician, or ask for permission before recording. Some clinics also offer recording services.

Q: What are the benefits of recording medical consultations?

A: Recording can improve patients’ recollection and understanding of what the clinician has told them, and give them greater satisfaction in their care.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: Our study was only available in English, so it didn’t capture the experiences of people in diverse communities. We also think recording may not happen as often as our results suggest.