Your privacy comes first
How your consultation data is handled
When we record your consultation, here's exactly what happens to that recording — where it's kept, who can see it, how it's protected, and how it compares with other systems. In plain English.
The short version
- Recording is a standard part of your Menodoctor consultation — it's how your doctor can give you their full attention. If you'd prefer not to be recorded, please talk to us before your appointment.
- If you agree, we record the audio only — never used for anything except preparing your doctor's letter.
- Your recording and letter are stored encrypted in New Zealand.
- Only the transcription step uses a specialist provider based in the United States, under a strict healthcare data agreement — and your data is never used to train AI.
- Only your doctor (and our practice managers) can access it, and every access is logged.
- Your audio recording is deleted within 7 days of your consultation — we never keep it beyond that.
Why we do this
During a consultation your doctor is listening, thinking, and typing all at once. Letting the computer take the first draft of the notes means your doctor can focus on you instead of the keyboard — and your clinical letter is more complete and accurate. The recording exists for one reason only: to prepare that letter.
What we record
With your consent, we capture the audio of the consultation — your voice and your doctor's. We don't store the video. The audio is turned into a written transcript, and the transcript is used to draft your clinical letter, which your doctor reviews and edits before anything is finalised.
Where it's stored, and how it's protected
Your recording, transcript, and letter are stored on secure servers located in New Zealand (Auckland). They are encrypted at rest using industry-standard AES-256 encryption, and the video call itself is encrypted while it travels between you and your doctor.
The one step that happens overseas is transcription — turning the audio into text. We use a specialist medical-transcription provider based in the United States because it's among the most accurate available. That provider works for us under a formal healthcare data-protection agreement (a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement), is contractually barred from using your data for any other purpose, and does not use your recording or transcript to train its AI models. Drafting the letter itself is done by AI hosted in the Australia/New Zealand region, so that step stays local.
Built on trusted, certified platforms
We don't build our security from scratch — Menodoctor runs on world-leading cloud and communications platforms that are among the most rigorously audited in the world, each independently certified against recognised international standards:
- Where your data is stored and your letter is generated — enterprise cloud infrastructure located in New Zealand, independently certified to SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001, and operated under a HIPAA healthcare data agreement.
- The app you're using now — delivered over a global security platform certified to SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and ISO 27701 (privacy).
- Your video consultation — carried over a platform independently audited to SOC 2 Type II, with media encrypted in transit and data encrypted at rest (AES-256).
- Transcription — handled by a specialist medical-transcription provider that is SOC 2 Type 2 certified, works under a HIPAA healthcare data agreement, and never uses your data to train AI.
These certifications belong to the platforms we build on. Menodoctor combines them into a clinical workflow designed around the same principles — data minimisation, encryption everywhere, storage kept in New Zealand, and strict least-privilege access.
Who can see it
Access is limited to your treating doctor and a small number of Menodoctor practice managers who look after the system. Nobody else can open your recording or letter. Every staff login is protected by multi-factor authentication, and every time a recording is accessed we keep an audit record of who opened it and when.
How long we keep it
Your audio recording is deleted within 7 days of your consultation, once your clinical letter has been prepared — we never keep it beyond that. Only the written transcript and your finalised letter are retained, as part of your medical record, the same as any other clinic letter.
Your rights
Our AI scribe is an integral part of how every Menodoctor consultation runs, so recording is a standard part of the appointment. If you have any concerns about being recorded, please talk to us before your appointment so we can help. You can always ask us what information we hold about you, request a copy, or ask us to delete your recording, and we handle your health information in line with New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020.
How this compares with other systems
Many AI note-taking and telehealth tools process and store your entire consultation on overseas (usually US) servers, and some reserve the right to use your data to improve their products. We've deliberately chosen a stricter setup:
| Menodoctor | Typical AI scribe tools | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your recording & letter live | Stored in New Zealand | Often stored in the US / overseas |
| Overseas processing | Transcription step only, under a healthcare data agreement | Frequently the whole pipeline |
| Used to train AI? | No — contractually excluded | Sometimes, unless you opt out |
| Audio recording | Deleted within 7 days | Varies; sometimes retained |
| Access logging | Every access recorded | Varies |
This is a general comparison — individual products differ, and we'd encourage you to ask any provider these same questions.
Questions about your data or privacy? Email us at privacy@menodoctor.com and we'll be glad to explain.