Appointment recording is a way to use Citizen Health as a personal note-taker during important care-related conversations. It listens to the discussion with you, then helps create a clear summary and list of next steps so you don’t have to rely on memory or handwritten notes.
We are recommending that you do. This isn’t a healthcare rule — it’s a general rule about recording private conversations.
In some states, the law requires everyone in a private conversation to agree before it’s recorded. In other states, that permission isn’t legally required. Because the rules vary, and because these conversations are important, we guide people to ask upfront rather than expect them to know the law where they live or where they receive care.
No matter what the local rules are, being upfront about recording helps set the right tone. The goal isn’t to document someone or protect yourself — it's to help you and your clinical provider make the most of the time you have together.
For those interested in the legal fine print, the 11 U.S. states where you are technically required by law to get consent are: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington
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Many doctors record visits for their own documentation, which can be very helpful. This is different.
For patients and caregivers, appointment recording acts like a personal note-taker—similar to the notes you’d write yourself. It helps translate the conversation into clear, usable next steps and makes it easier to communicate accurately with others involved in care.
The transcript is saved to your Citizen Health account so you can review it later. Just like your medical records shared with us, you’re always in control of it. Soon, you’ll be able to delete transcripts directly in the app if you want. Until that feature is available, if you’d like a transcript removed, you can email support@citizenhealth.com, and we’ll take care of it for you.
Yes—always.
If at any point your doctor asks you to pause or stop, you can do so immediately. This is meant to support the conversation, not interfere with it. You’re on the same team.
This can vary by location, but many patients and caregivers choose to ask out of courtesy and respect. If a doctor is uncomfortable, a calm response might be:
“No problem at all—I understand. I won’t record. I just wanted to ask because it really helps me manage next steps. If it’s something the health system ever considers in the future, it would make a big difference for families like mine.”
Even without recording, the priority is maintaining trust and continuing the visit.
Yes. Privacy and patient trust are foundational to Citizen Health. The platform was built with deep expertise in health data protection and with direct input from families navigating rare and complex conditions. Data is handled carefully, with a focus on supporting patients—not exploiting information.
After an appointment you will be able to see the transcript of your conversation in addition to things like a summary and next steps. If you have additional questions about the appointment, you will be able to chat with AI Advocate about it directly.
Medical visits and any high stakes care-related appointments can be overwhelming—especially when you’re managing a rare condition. Many patients and caregivers already take notes during appointments. This tool simply helps you:Think of it as your personalized support.
Think of it as your personalized support.
When you are on the appointment recording screen in the mobile app, the app will first ask you to confirm that you’ve gotten permission.
Before tapping Yes, take a moment to let the other person know what you’re doing and why. Many patients and caregivers say something like:
“If you’re comfortable, I’d like to record this conversation using a health app I use called Citizen Health. I use it as a personal note-taker so I can focus on our conversation and leave with clear next steps. The recording is temporary—it’s only used to create a transcript and summary for me—and I’m happy to pause or stop at any time,"
If they’re comfortable, tap Yes and the recording will start.
If they’re not, tap No and you’ll exit without recording.
There’s no pressure either way. The goal is to be transparent and make the most of the time you have together.
No.
The voice recording is temporary. It’s only used to create a written transcript and a summary. Once that’s done, the audio is deleted. What remains are a transcript and notes to help you follow through on next steps.
Citizen Health is committed to ensuring you’re always in control of your data. This feature is designed to support you or your child’s care.
The audio recording itself is deleted. If you choose to share the transcript or notes, it’s typically with other caregivers or members of your care team—similar to how you might share your own notes. Nothing is shared publicly.
Just like with your medical records, you may also choose to opt in to sharing de-identified information to support research. If you’ve chosen to do that, de-identified information from recorded appointments may be included as well. If you’ve already opted in to research, this follows the same choice — there’s no separate opt-in required.
At any time, you can request that this information be deleted by emailing support@citizenhealth.com, and we’ll take care of it for you. Soon, you’ll also be able to manage this directly in the app.
Citizen Health is committed to ensuring you’re always in control of your data. This feature is designed to support you or your child’s care.
The audio recording itself is deleted. If you choose to share the transcript or notes, it’s typically with other caregivers or members of your care team—similar to how you might share your own notes. Nothing is shared publicly.
Just like with your medical records, you may also choose to opt in to sharing de-identified information to support research. If you’ve chosen to do that, de-identified information from recorded appointments may be included as well. If you’ve already opted in to research, this follows the same choice — there’s no separate opt-in required.
At any time, you can request that this information be deleted by emailing support@citizenhealth.com, and we’ll take care of it for you. Soon, you’ll also be able to manage this directly in the app.
No.
The recording runs quietly in the background. Many caregivers find it actually helps them engage more fully, because they’re not distracted by trying to write everything down.
If anything doesn’t work, the appointment still proceeds as normal. You can always fall back on listening and taking notes the way you usually would. The tool is there to help—not replace you.
Some caregivers describe this as the support they wish they could bring into the room—like having an advocate or social worker whose only job is to capture details and next steps. Appointment recording is simply a more accessible way to get that support.
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The responses shown are simulated samples for demonstration purposes only. When you use AI Advocate, it provides personalized insights based on your actual medical records. AI Advocate is designed to help you understand and organize your medical information but does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions. Your medical information remains private and secure within Citizen Health, and is not shared with third-party AI companies or used to train their algorithms.
