Invite to the client portal
The client portal is where your clients see their appointments, fill in forms, view notes you share, send you messages, and pay invoices.
- A client with an email address on their record (lesson 2.1)
What the portal is for
The portal is a logged-in space for each client at app.carepatron.com/Portal. Clients can:
- see their upcoming appointments
- fill or revisit intake forms
- view documents you share, and upload their own (scans, photos, prior records)
- message you in encrypted in-app chat
- manage payment methods.
Portal invites and other client emails carry your workspace logo, so clients can see they come from your practice.
How a client gets invited
Two paths:
- Manual: open the client record and choose More actions → Invite to portal. Some practices prefer to invite only after the first session.
- Automatic: activate the Send Portal invite workflow (Lesson 2.5) and every new client gets an invite when you create them.
Either way, the client receives an email, clicks through to register an account, and they're in.
In-app chat
Go to Inbox, click Compose and choose Secure message. You can add several clients and teammates to one thread, which works well for groups and care coordination. Messages are encrypted, clients get an email to let them know, and they reply from their portal.
On Reply-only, clients have 48 hours to reply to a message you've sent.
Communication controls
Under Settings → Workspace Settings → Communications you choose how clients can start a conversation with you:
- Reply-only (48hr window): clients can reply to messages you've sent, within 48 hours, but can't start new ones. New workspaces start on this one.
- Can't initiate communication: clients can't send you messages at any time.
- Assigned clients only: only clients assigned to you can start a message with you.
- All clients: any client can start a message with you at any time.
Pick one in your first week and change it only if it stops working for you.
Tick these off in your own workspace before moving on.
Five ways practitioners use the portal in practice.
Pick the one closest to your practice and adapt it.
Turn on Send Portal invite so every new client gets an invite. Share session summaries after each visit. Use secure messages for between-session check-ins ('how are the exercises going?').
Share home exercise programme PDFs via portal. Ask clients to upload short videos of their form. Reply in chat with corrections.
Manual invite at the first appointment. Share lab results in the portal. Use Reply-only mode so clients can't start new conversations, reduces inbox load.
Portal invite + intake form auto-send the moment a client is created. Use the portal for accountability check-ins between sessions.
Assigned clients only: clients can only start a conversation with the practitioner they're assigned to.
How does a client first access the portal?
They receive an email invite, click the link, create an account, and land in the portal. After that, they bookmark app.carepatron.com/Portal and log in directly.
What can clients do in the portal?
View upcoming appointments, fill intake forms, view documents you've shared, upload their own files, send and receive messages in encrypted chat, manage payment methods, and adjust their own MFA settings.
Is in-app messaging HIPAA-compliant?
Secure messages are encrypted, and they're part of Carepatron, which is HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant.
Can I stop clients from starting conversations?
Yes. Choose Reply-only (48hr window) or Can't initiate communication at Settings → Workspace Settings → Communications.
Can I send a portal invite manually instead of automating it?
Yes, open the client record and choose More actions → Invite to portal. The automation in Lesson 2.5 is optional; some practices prefer to invite only after the first session.
Can group sessions get a group chat?
Yes. Go to Inbox → Compose → Secure message and add everyone in the group.
What happens if a client doesn't see the invite email?
Re-send it from their record with More actions → Invite to portal. If it still doesn't arrive, check the email address on their record for typos and ask them to look in their junk folder.