Patient Alias Names (Pseudonyms)

AndroHealth lets you protect the privacy of sensitive or high-profile patients by assigning an alias name (pseudonym). When an alias is active, the system hides the patient's real name everywhere on screen and shows the alias instead — while legal, financial, and clinical printouts continue to use the real identity.

When to use an alias

A hospital may assign an alias to safeguard a patient's identity. Typical cases include:

VIP patients — public figures, celebrities, or officials
Sensitive conditions — mental health, HIV/AIDS, STIs, or substance-abuse treatment
Sexual-assault, domestic-violence, or other safety-risk cases
Witness protection or legal confidentiality
Employees receiving care at their own hospital
Any patient who requests confidential communications

The reason for the alias is always recorded against the patient profile for audit and compliance.

Assign an alias to a patient

Go to Registration → OP Registration → Add New Patient.
In the Alias Name section, turn on the Pseudonyms toggle. Four additional fields appear.
Select a Reason (mandatory) from the list.
Enter the alias First name and Last name (required); Middle and Third names are optional.
Save the patient. From this point on, the system shows only the alias name.

Pseudonyms toggle and alias name fields on the Add Patient form in AndroHealth

Patient displayed with an alias name instead of the real name across the system

Who can see the real name

Visibility of the real name is controlled by roles:

Only users whose role includes the Pseudonyms permission can reveal the real name. They see the name masked with a view button; clicking it shows the real name, and the system re-hides it automatically when they move to another screen or save.
Care providers and the care team linked to the patient's visit can always see the real name — even without the permission — but only for patients they are treating.
Users without the permission cannot view or edit the real name at all.

Masked patient name with a reveal button for authorized users

Patient real name revealed after an authorized user clicks the view button

How the alias behaves across the system

The alias appears in the patient banner, search bars, and top tabs — everywhere the name normally shows.
The alias is tied to the patient's MRN. You can still search by MRN, national ID, or phone, but results display the alias, not the real name.
Printable and PDF documents — financial, medical, and legal — always show the real name. Insurance and legal records use the real identity.
Outbound FHIR messages also carry the real name.

Auditing real-name access

Every time an authorized user reveals a patient's real name, the system writes a dedicated audit-log entry capturing who viewed it and when. Review these under Reports → Audit Log.

Audit log recording each time a patient's real name is viewed

Remove an alias

To return a patient to their real name, open the patient profile, turn off the Pseudonyms toggle, and update the profile.

Note: Printed and PDF output always shows the patient's real name, never the alias — so billing, insurance, and legal documents stay accurate.

Common questions

When should I assign a patient alias?

For privacy-sensitive cases — VIPs, sensitive conditions, or patients who request confidential communications.

Who can see the patient's real name?

Only users with the Pseudonyms permission, plus the patient's care team; everyone else sees the alias.

Do printed documents show the alias?

No — PDFs and financial, medical, and legal documents always show the real name.