What is a key reason for verifying a client's identity in telepractice?

• A. To delay emergency responses.
• B. To ensure the person is who they say they are and to protect safety.
• C. To violate confidentiality.
• D. To disregard informed consent.

Answer: (B)

In telepractice, verifying a client’s identity is about confirming the person you’re interacting with is who they claim to be. This protects safety by preventing impersonation and ensures that confidential information is shared with the correct individual. It also helps ensure that the consent and treatment decisions apply to the right client, which is essential for ethical and legal practice in remote settings. Without identity verification, there’s a greater risk of misdirected information, inappropriate service delivery, or breaches of privacy. The other options don’t align with professional goals: delaying emergency responses would be harmful and inappropriate, verification is intended to protect confidentiality rather than violate it, and it supports informed consent rather than disregarding it.