Telehealth and Patient Privacy

VA Telehealth Services follows the same HIPAA privacy rules as traditional medical care. The rules are a national standard for how to store and protect health information. All telehealth staff receive HIPAA security training, so your medical records are confidential. Only authorized providers have access to your data.

How Telehealth Protects Your Data

The internet makes sending data fast and easy, but this convenience comes with an added security risk. That is why VA only uses programs approved for telehealth services. Secure connections and data encryption help to protect information during your telehealth sessions. These programs create a safe environment for your medical data and personal information.

Ensuring Your Data Stays Safe

At VA, your privacy and security are top priority. That is why we adhere to leading privacy practices and data stewardship principles to ensure that your personal information and data stay safe. If you have any questions about the specifics, view our privacy policy here.

The Internet and Your Data

VA seeks to provide a secure experience for telehealth users, but protecting your data on the internet is a two-way street. It is important to protect your own devices against security risks.

Practice the following safe searching tips when you are online:

• Only visit secure websites (shown by the "lock" icon in your browser's address bar)
• Make sure that your wireless connections are secure and password-protected
• Install anti-virus software on your computer