Word of mouth is my best advertising. Clients come in, love their massage, and then tell all their friends and family. As a result, I often see client's spouses, adult children, parents, coworkers, friends... and they often become regular clients themselves.
So if you're one of these people who have many in your circle who are also clients, you may be wondering: do I mention you or anything about your sessions to your loved ones? The answer is a resounding "NO".
Not only is everything that happens in the treatment room confidential, but even your appointment or the fact that I've seen you recently is. The only way they will know about your appointment is if you tell them.
You've probably heard of the HIPAA law (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), but what you may not know is that Licensed Massage Therapists are not actually considered an entity required to adhere to this law. This is more about health insurance and electronic health records being shared electronically, etc. So you will not hear me touting HIPAA as it's actually quite misleading because there is much more to being compliant than just keeping confidentiality. Furthermore, since I don't deal with health insurance or electronic medical records at all, most of it isn't even applicable to my practice. I actually co-authored an article on this topic for the industry publication Massage & Bodywork Magazine. (You'll have to register with your email address to view the article, but it's free to access online if you're interested in the ever-so-exciting topic of HIPAA compliance!)
While I don't claim to be HIPAA compliant, I do adhere to professional ethics to maintain client confidentiality:
Commitment to Confidentiality
I will keep client communication and information confidential and will not share client information without the client's written consent, within the limits of the law. I will ensure every effort is made to respect a client's right to privacy and provide an environment where personal health-related details cannot be overheard or seen by others.
So not only will I not share information about our sessions, but all of my client files and online scheduling are also all encrypted and protected to maintain confidentiality.
So if you're one of these people who have many in your circle who are also clients, you may be wondering: do I mention you or anything about your sessions to your loved ones? The answer is a resounding "NO".
Not only is everything that happens in the treatment room confidential, but even your appointment or the fact that I've seen you recently is. The only way they will know about your appointment is if you tell them.
You've probably heard of the HIPAA law (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), but what you may not know is that Licensed Massage Therapists are not actually considered an entity required to adhere to this law. This is more about health insurance and electronic health records being shared electronically, etc. So you will not hear me touting HIPAA as it's actually quite misleading because there is much more to being compliant than just keeping confidentiality. Furthermore, since I don't deal with health insurance or electronic medical records at all, most of it isn't even applicable to my practice. I actually co-authored an article on this topic for the industry publication Massage & Bodywork Magazine. (You'll have to register with your email address to view the article, but it's free to access online if you're interested in the ever-so-exciting topic of HIPAA compliance!)
While I don't claim to be HIPAA compliant, I do adhere to professional ethics to maintain client confidentiality:
Commitment to Confidentiality
I will keep client communication and information confidential and will not share client information without the client's written consent, within the limits of the law. I will ensure every effort is made to respect a client's right to privacy and provide an environment where personal health-related details cannot be overheard or seen by others.
So not only will I not share information about our sessions, but all of my client files and online scheduling are also all encrypted and protected to maintain confidentiality.
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