Digital Consent Forms and Patient Intake for Med Spas: How It Works

Most med spas handle digital consent forms and patient intake by sending forms automatically when an appointment is booked. Patients complete their health history and sign treatment-specific consents on their phone or computer before the visit, and the signed forms are saved to the patient's chart. On the day, the provider reviews the answers and discusses the treatment, and the patient signs again only when the treatment, the form or their health has changed.

Updated October 26, 2026 · By Prospyr. General information, not legal advice. Prospyr makes software for aesthetic practices, including digital intake.

How does digital intake and consent work at a med spa?

1. The patient books. Online, by phone or by text.
2. The right forms go out. Intake goes to new patients. Consents go by treatment, so a filler patient gets the filler consent and not the laser questionnaire.
3. The patient completes them before the visit. On a phone or computer, with an electronic signature.
4. The team checks for gaps. Before the day, the front desk sees which forms are missing and follows up.
5. The provider reviews. The provider reads the health history, discusses risks and alternatives, answers questions and confirms the patient still wants to go ahead. The form records that conversation; it doesn't replace it.
6. Everything is saved to the chart. Including the exact version of the form the patient signed and when.
7. Re-consent when things change. A new treatment, a changed form or a change in health means a new signature.

What goes in intake vs. consent?

Our consent form templates include starting points for neurotoxin, filler, microneedling and clinical photography, plus a photo marketing authorization. Have your medical director and counsel review any form before you use it.

Are electronic signatures valid for consent forms?

Generally, yes. Under the federal ESIGN Act and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act adopted by most states, a signature or record generally can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic. What matters in practice is being able to show who signed, what they signed and when. Some states and procedures have their own consent requirements, so confirm yours with counsel.

How does HIPAA apply to digital intake?

Intake and consent forms hold protected health information, so the software that collects and stores them should protect it, and the vendor should sign a business associate agreement before you add patient information. Limit who on your team can view and edit forms, and keep forms out of personal email and phones. Using patient photos or stories in marketing generally needs the patient's separate written authorization; see HHS guidance on marketing and our before-and-after photo rules. Our HIPAA-compliant digital consent forms checklist covers what to test in a software demo.

What mistakes should a med spa avoid?

• One generic consent for every treatment. Each treatment has its own risks and aftercare, so it needs its own form.
• Treating the form as the conversation. The provider still discusses risks, alternatives and questions, and that discussion belongs in the chart.
• Losing the signed version. If you update a template, you still need to show the exact text each patient signed.
• Photo consent standing in for marketing permission. Keep them separate.
• No re-consent. Patients who started a treatment years ago may have signed a form you've since changed.
• Forms by email attachment or a separate tool. Answers then have to be retyped into the chart, and copies end up outside your secure system.

What should you look for in intake and consent software?

• Forms sent automatically by appointment type, so each patient gets the right ones.
• Completion on a phone or computer without an app, plus a way to complete forms at the practice.
• Signed forms saved to the patient's chart with the version and date.
• A view of which upcoming patients still have forms outstanding.
• A business associate agreement covering the forms and the services connected to them.

In Prospyr, patients complete digital intake forms and consents before their appointment on their own computer or phone through the patient portal, or at the practice if they prefer, and the answers go straight into their record without retyping. Book a Prospyr demo to see the workflow with your own forms.