As a practicing psychiatrist I have work to do. I have to have a method that works. I have to quickly orient my patients if they want to use email, get them to sign a release, install whatever they need at minimal cost, and then use it correctly. Email is terribly important to me and my patients. I use it for everything from medication followup, to insurance clarification, side effects, lab results, and symptom checks in between sessions. My patients and I have solved the problem of what should and shouldn't be in emails. We also have learned that it doesn't take a lot of time, isn't abused, and it is a complete convenience for both of us.
I have discovered a desktop method that is safe, secure, and fast. It encrypts any word processing document, and I can send it as an encrypted attachment in an email to my patients. My patients and I establish a common password which I give them only over the phone or in person. They install a simple program on their computer, and can send encrypted attachments back to me. Voila encrypted email! It doesn't involve any servers or intermediate way stations they or I need to deal with.
I have a good solution for individual users of Windows computers that is almost free. For individual users of the Mac OS there is another simple solution. Surprisingly no one has thought of it. It is free and it works really well.
Finally if a Windows machine needs to send encrypted emails to a Mac, there is a good method which I use regularly. It costs $19.95 and is well worth it. I have even devised a method to save emails in a secure manner if need be for either a PC or a Mac computer. It is free and easy.
So I am happy to report that you don't have to involve yourself in corporate software that empties your wallet and makes your eyes glaze over. I like simple, effective solutions. Simple solutions can sometimes do a lot!
How about some benefits of e-mail? Click here