Can I record this? A scoping review of Australian hospital policies governing consultation recording

Abstract

Objective Recording consultations can benefit patients and healthcare providers, but advantageous recording practices are dogged by legal concerns. In Australia, relevant laws are poorly understood. We postulate that local policies are more important than law in guiding consultation recording. This study aimed to describe the availability and content of consultation recording policy in Australian hospitals. Methods We conducted a scoping review utilising JBI methods and our previously published protocol. We collected policies from Australian hospitals (April-October 2023) about the audio/video recording of patients, providers or others within the hospital. We reported findings descriptively and analysed policies' alignment with the law. Results Of the 43 hospitals examined, 17/43 (40%) had relevant policies, 17/43 (40%) had a partial policy and 9/43 (21%) had no policy. Policies were usually difficult to find and were stricter than relevant law. Conclusions When patients want to record their appointments, it can be hard to identify relevant hospital policy. Policies generally weigh against consultation recording and are more restrictive than Australian law allows. These results indicate that healthcare services should develop clear, readily available policies on recording, balancing patients' and providers' interests.