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Safe Mode

Last Updated: February 4, 2026
Document ID: UG-SAFE-MODE-001
Version: 1.0

Overview​

Safe Mode is a privacy protection feature in Conduit that temporarily hides Protected Health Information (PHI) from your view. When enabled, client names are replaced with Client ID throughout the application, allowing you to share your screen or work in public spaces without revealing client identities.

Safe Mode is per-user - enabling it only affects your view, not other users in your organization. You retain full access to all functionality and can continue working on cases while in Safe Mode.

What You'll Learn​

  • What Safe Mode is and why it exists
  • How to turn Safe Mode on and off
  • What changes when Safe Mode is enabled
  • When to use Safe Mode for compliance and privacy
  • Who can access Safe Mode based on clearance levels

Key Terms​

TermDefinition
Safe ModePrivacy feature that hides Protected Health Information (PHI) from view by replacing client names with asterisks
PHIProtected Health Information - sensitive client data protected under HIPAA and organizational privacy policies
ClearancePermission level determining what PHI a user is authorized to view

What Is Safe Mode?​

Purpose​

Safe Mode protects client privacy by temporarily hiding client names from your view in Conduit. This allows you to:

  • Share your screen during meetings or presentations without revealing client identities
  • Train new staff or demonstrate workflows without exposing PHI
  • Work in public spaces (cafes, shared offices) while maintaining compliance
  • Troubleshoot technical issues with support staff who may not have clearance
  • Take screenshots for documentation without capturing client names

What Safe Mode Does​

When Safe Mode is ON:

  • Client names are replaced with Client ID (e.g. MRN) throughout Conduit
  • Case cards on Dashboard show Client ID (e.g. MRN) instead of names
  • The Name column in My Caseload table shows Client ID (e.g. MRN)
  • Case Page headers show Client ID (e.g. MRN) in the client name field
  • Search results show Client ID (e.g. MRN) for client names

What Safe Mode Does NOT Do​

Safe Mode is NOT:

  • A security measure preventing data access (you still have access to all case data)
  • A way to restrict other users' views (it's per-user, not organization-wide)
  • A method to hide other PHI like addresses or dates of birth (only names are hidden)
  • A substitute for proper user permissions and clearance levels

⚠️ Important: Safe Mode only hides client names from visual display. You can still edit cases, complete tasks, and access all functionality normally.

How to Use Safe Mode​

Accessing Safe Mode Toggle​

Location: Bottom of left navigation bar (toolbar with three icons)

Icon: Shield with diagonal slash (OFF) or green outlined shield with plus (ON)

Turning Safe Mode ON​

  1. Locate the shield icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar
  2. Click the shield icon (it has a diagonal slash when Safe Mode is off)
  3. A dialog box appears:
    • Title: "Safe Mode (Off)"
    • Message: "You are not in safe mode. This means all PHI you have clearance to view is visible. You may enable safe mode by pressing the button below."
    • Button: "Turn on Safe Mode"
  4. Click "Turn on Safe Mode"
  5. The dialog closes and client names are immediately replaced with Client ID (e.g. MRN)
  6. The shield icon changes to a green outlined shield with plus

Turning Safe Mode OFF​

  1. Locate the shield icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar (it shows a green outlined shield with plus when Safe Mode is on)
  2. Click the shield icon
  3. A dialog box appears:
    • Title: "Safe Mode (On)"
    • Message: "You are currently in safe mode. This means all PHI is hidden. You may disable safe mode by pressing the button below."
    • Button: Text similar to "Turn off Safe Mode" or "Disable Safe Mode"
  4. Click the button to disable Safe Mode
  5. The dialog closes and client names are immediately visible again
  6. The shield icon changes back to shield with diagonal slash

Visual Indicators​

Safe Mode OFF (PHI visible):

  • Shield icon with diagonal slash (🛡️ / )
  • Client names display normally throughout Conduit

Safe Mode ON (PHI hidden):

  • Green outlined shield icon with plus (🛡️ +)
  • Client names replaced with Client ID (e.g. MRN) throughout Conduit

When to Use Safe Mode​

Screen Sharing in Meetings​

Scenario: You're facilitating a team meeting and need to demonstrate a workflow in Conduit.

Why use Safe Mode:

  • Some meeting attendees may not have clearance for all client PHI
  • Remote participants may have others viewing their screen
  • You want to focus on process, not specific cases

How to use:

  1. Enable Safe Mode before starting your screen share
  2. Navigate to the workflow or feature you want to demonstrate
  3. Present using generic case examples (names hidden)
  4. Disable Safe Mode after your screen share ends

Training and Onboarding​

Scenario: You're training a new team member on how to use Dashboard features.

Why use Safe Mode:

  • New staff may not yet have full clearance
  • Training sessions may be recorded
  • Focus should be on learning the interface, not memorizing client names

How to use:

  1. Enable Safe Mode before opening Conduit during training
  2. Walk through features using real case data (with names hidden)
  3. Demonstrate searches, filters, and navigation
  4. Disable Safe Mode when training is complete

Working in Public or Shared Spaces​

Scenario: You're working from a cafe or shared office space.

Why use Safe Mode:

  • Others may inadvertently see your screen
  • HIPAA compliance requires reasonable privacy safeguards
  • Organizational policy may require PHI protection in public

How to use:

  1. Enable Safe Mode before opening cases in a public location
  2. Complete your work with client names hidden
  3. Use Case IDs or other non-PHI identifiers for reference
  4. Disable Safe Mode when you return to a private workspace

Taking Screenshots for Documentation​

Scenario: You need to document a bug or create training materials with screenshots.

Why use Safe Mode:

  • Screenshots are permanent records that may be shared widely
  • Support staff viewing screenshots may not have PHI clearance
  • Training materials should focus on functionality, not client identities

How to use:

  1. Enable Safe Mode before taking screenshots
  2. Navigate to the screen you need to capture
  3. Take your screenshot (client names will show as Client ID (e.g. MRN))
  4. Disable Safe Mode when finished documenting

Troubleshooting with Support​

Scenario: You need to describe an issue to technical support or ServiceThinking staff.

Why use Safe Mode:

  • Support staff may not have direct access to your client data
  • Screen recordings or screenshots may be needed
  • Privacy protection is still required during troubleshooting

How to use:

  1. Enable Safe Mode before starting troubleshooting
  2. Reproduce the issue with client names hidden
  3. Share screenshots or recordings with support safely
  4. Provide Case IDs separately if support needs to investigate specific cases

Who Can Use Safe Mode?​

Clearance-Based Access​

Safe Mode availability depends on your user clearance level:

  • All users with any level of PHI clearance can toggle Safe Mode on and off
  • Safe Mode toggle appears for users who have access to client names
  • Users without PHI clearance will not see client names regardless of Safe Mode setting

Organizational Policies​

Your organization may have policies regarding Safe Mode usage:

  • Required use in public spaces or during screen sharing
  • Optional use for personal preference and comfort
  • Training requirements for understanding when to enable/disable

💡 Tip: Check with your supervisor or compliance officer about organizational policies for Safe Mode usage.

Tips & Best Practices​

💡 Remember to toggle Safe Mode off: After completing work that required Safe Mode (meetings, public spaces), remember to disable it so you can work with full client visibility again.

💡 Safe Mode doesn't affect permissions: You still have the same level of access and can perform the same actions while Safe Mode is on. It only changes what you see, not what you can do.

💡 Use Case IDs for reference: When Safe Mode is enabled, use Case IDs to identify and reference specific cases instead of client names.

💡 Safe Mode is per-user: Your Safe Mode setting doesn't affect your colleagues. Each user controls their own Safe Mode independently.

💡 Proactive use for compliance: Enable Safe Mode before sharing your screen or entering a public space, not after. This prevents accidental PHI exposure.

💡 Safe Mode and search: You can still search for clients by name while in Safe Mode. Search results will show Client ID (e.g. MRN) but the correct cases will be returned.

Safe Mode Persistence​

Your Safe Mode preference is saved to your user account and persists across login sessions:

How it works:

  • If you log out with Safe Mode ON, it will remain enabled when you log back in
  • If you log out with Safe Mode OFF, it will remain disabled when you log back in
  • Your preference is stored on the server and follows you across devices

Why this matters:

  • You don't need to re-enable Safe Mode every time you log in
  • Your privacy settings are preserved between sessions
  • Different devices remember your last Safe Mode state

💡 Tip: Always check your shield icon status when you log in to confirm whether Safe Mode is enabled or disabled, especially if you're working in a different location or sharing your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: Does Safe Mode hide all PHI, or just client names?​

A: Safe Mode currently hides only client names. Other PHI fields (dates of birth, addresses, etc.) remain visible. Use discretion when sharing your screen even with Safe Mode enabled.

Q: Will enabling Safe Mode log me out or affect my work?​

A: No. Safe Mode only changes the visual display of client names. You remain logged in and can continue working on cases, completing tasks, and accessing all features normally.

Q: Can I still search for clients by name when Safe Mode is on?​

A: Yes. The search function still works with client names even though they display as Client ID (e.g. MRN) in the results. Conduit searches the actual data, not just what's displayed.

Q: How do I know if Safe Mode is currently enabled?​

A: Check the shield icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar:

  • Shield with diagonal slash = Safe Mode is OFF (client names visible)
  • Green outlined shield with plus = Safe Mode is ON (client names hidden as Client ID (e.g. MRN))

You can also look at any case list - if client names show as Client ID (e.g. MRN), Safe Mode is on.

Q: Will my Safe Mode setting affect other users in my organization?​

A: No. Safe Mode is per-user. Your setting only affects your own view. Other users will continue to see client names (or not) based on their own Safe Mode settings.

Q: If I enable Safe Mode, will it stay on after I log out?​

A: Yes. Safe Mode settings persist across sessions. If you log out with Safe Mode enabled, it will still be enabled when you log back in. Always check your shield icon status when logging in.

Q: Can I take screenshots while Safe Mode is enabled?​

A: Yes! In fact, this is one of the primary use cases for Safe Mode. Screenshots taken with Safe Mode enabled will show Client ID (e.g. MRN) instead of client names, protecting PHI.

Q: Is using Safe Mode required by HIPAA or my organization?​

A: HIPAA requires "reasonable safeguards" to protect PHI. Using Safe Mode when screen sharing or working in public spaces may be part of your organization's compliance strategy. Check your organizational policies or ask your supervisor.

Q: What happens if I forget to enable Safe Mode before sharing my screen?​

A: If you realize mid-presentation that Safe Mode is off:

  1. Stop sharing your screen temporarily
  2. Enable Safe Mode using the shield icon
  3. Verify client names are hidden
  4. Resume screen sharing

If PHI was inadvertently exposed, follow your organization's incident reporting procedures.

Q: Can I use Safe Mode to hide client names from my supervisor or colleagues?​

A: No. Safe Mode is for privacy compliance, not access control. Your supervisor and colleagues with appropriate clearance will still be able to view client names on their own screens regardless of your Safe Mode setting.