Table 6.
Specific issues related to online/e-therapies
| • Therapist to develop their competency in carrying out the online psychotherapies |
| • During at least few, if not all, of the initial assessment sessions, in person contact need to be established |
| • Informed consent procedure and the therapeutic contract should be signed in person |
| • The informed consent and the therapeutic contract should clearly state that in case, there is a legal dispute, then case can be filed only in the place of work (where the clinician is practicing in person) of the clinician |
| • Similarly, issues of whom to contact and where to go at the time of emergency should be clearly stated |
| • Therapist should inform the patient about their experience with carrying out online therapy |
| • Therapist should inform the patient that, if required they may be required to come for in person consultations |
| • The therapeutic contract may mention that initial few sessions, may be done on trial basis to evaluate the feasibility issues and suitability |
| • Measures which would be taken to ensure confidentiality |
| • Use of software for encryption of information |
| • Discuss the mode of storage of material |
| • When the recorded material in stored in places (for example cloud server), where the therapist has no control over the material, consent of the client needs to be obtained beforehand and their opinion be respected in this regard |
| • In case the therapist wants to use the recorded material (especially videos) for teaching purposes, consent of the patient must be obtained for the same |
| • Ask the client to provide the number of a family member or nominated representative or guardian, who the therapist can contact, in case of exigencies. This should be incorporated in the therapeutic contract |
| • In case of asynchronous communication- upper time limit for both client and the therapist be specified |
| • Discuss the issues of professional boundaries, with respect to social media |
| • Boundary issues in cyberspace |
| • During the informed consent procedure and the therapeutic contract, include, back-up plan for interruption of the therapy session due to technological problems |