Using Secure Messaging with clients

Secure Messaging provides a HIPAA-compliant way to communicate with clients and team members directly in SimplePractice.

Note: Secure Messaging is available on the Essential and Plus plans. To learn more, see the SimplePractice Pricing page.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• Enabling Secure Messaging
• Sending messages to your clients
• Setting an away message for Secure Messaging
• Disabling Secure Messaging for a client
• Handling PHI sent to the wrong client
• FAQs

Enabling Secure Messaging

Secure Messaging must be enabled at both the practice level and the individual client level.

To enable Secure Messaging for clients at the practice level:

1. Navigate to Settings > Messaging > Secure messaging
2. Click the toggle On next to Secure Messaging with Clients is enabled

You also have the option to select Automatically allow secure messaging for all new clients so anyone with Client Portal access can send a message.

Note: If you’ve added team members, you must first switch Secure Messaging On for your team before enabling it for clients. To learn more about messaging team members, see Using Secure Messages with your team.

To enable Secure Messaging from the Secure Messaging settings page or directly from a client’s profile:

1. Navigate to the client’s Overview page
2. Click Edit > Client Portal tab
3. Enable Secure Messaging under Client Portal permissions

Note: If a user sends a Secure Message and the recipient doesn’t read it after 10–20 minutes, a notification email is sent automatically.

Sending messages to your clients

Once Secure Messaging is enabled, you can message clients from the web app or the SimplePractice for Clinicians mobile app. Clients receive an email containing a Client Portal login link when they have a new Secure Message.

Note: To learn more about messaging clients on the mobile app, see Using Secure Messaging on mobile.

To send a Secure Message:

1. Click Messages on the top navigation bar

2. Select a past conversation or start a new one using the New Message icon.

When creating a new message, you’ll see a list of recent clients and team members, plus a search bar. If Secure Messaging is not yet enabled for the client, you’ll see the option to Enable it.

If messaging is already enabled, you can begin typing your message.

3. Press Enter or Return to send your message.

Clients will receive an email notifying them of your message:

Note: Clients using the SimplePractice Client Portal mobile app can enable push notifications for new messages. See The SimplePractice Client Portal mobile app.

Clients can view and respond to the message without signing in for 24 hours. After that, they must request an Instant Sign In link unless using Google sign-in. This keeps Secure Messaging HIPAA compliant.

You’ll see your client’s reply in Secure Messages and a red bubble will appear next to the Messages button.

Note: Account Owners and team members with Secure Messaging enabled can receive email notifications for new messages. Manage this setting at Settings > Profile > Notification preferences.

Setting an away message for Secure Messaging

You can enable an away message to notify clients when you are unavailable to respond. 

To enable an away message:

1. Click Messages on the top navigation bar
2. Toggle the Away message to clients is setting to On
   • When enabled, (Away) appears next to Messages in the top navigation bar

When the away message is on, the Client Portal displays a banner when clients attempt to message you.

The client’s message will still be delivered, and (Away) will appear next to your name in the message window.

Note: The banner can’t be dismissed by the client and remains until you toggle the away message Off.

You can customize your away message within the character limit of 600 characters. To do this: 

1. Click Customize

2. Type your customized message (up to 600 characters)
3. Click Save

Disabling Secure Messaging for a client

You can disable Secure Messaging for a client from their profile. To do this:

1. Navigate to the client's Overview page
2. Click Edit > Client Portal
3. Uncheck Use secure messaging

4. Click Save permissions

Handling PHI sent to the wrong client

If you accidentally send PHI to the wrong client, you can delete the message.

1. Navigate to the message in question
2. Select the message by clicking the red trash can icon

3. Click Remove

Both you and your client will see that a message has been removed

Important: Removed messages are still included in data export transcripts and marked as removed.

FAQs

• Is there a way for Secure Messaging to be enabled by default when I create a new client?
• Can I set up an automated response for Secure Messages?
• Are there limits for Secure Messages?
• Can I use emojis in Secure Messages?
• Can I remind clients to complete documents using Secure Messaging?
• Can I send a Secure Message to multiple clients and contacts at once?

Is there a way for Secure Messaging to be enabled by default when I create a new client?

Yes, you can automatically grant new clients access to use Secure Messaging.

1. Navigate to Settings > Messaging > Secure messaging
2. Check Automatically allow secure messaging for all new clients

Can I set up an automated response for Secure Messages?

You can enable an away message when you’re unavailable. Automated responses aren’t available unless the Away status is toggled on.

For more details, see Setting an away message for Secure Messaging.

Are there limits for Secure Messages?

Each Secure Message can include up to 5,000 characters. There’s no limit to the number of messages you can send.

Can I use emojis in Secure Messages?

Yes. You can use emojis by typing emoji codes.

• :grin:
• :smile:
• :thumbsup:

Can I remind clients to complete documents using Secure Messaging?

While automated Secure Messages aren’t available, you can enable automated reminders for incomplete documents.

1. Navigate to the client’s Client info tab
2. Toggle Incomplete documents to On

This reminder is sent a set time before the client’s next appointment if they have pending documents. You can adjust the timing at Settings > Client notifications > Email.

Can I send a Secure Message to multiple clients and contacts at once?

You can't send a single Secure Message to multiple clients. However, client announcements—available on the Plus plan—let you share updates with all clients or your assigned clients.

To learn more, see Creating client announcements.