Differences Between Clients and Contacts
WithinEHR uses two distinct record types — Clients and Contacts — to organize the people your practice interacts with. Understanding the difference ensures your records are structured correctly from the start.
Clients
A Client is an individual who receives clinical services from your practice. Client records include:
- Full clinical and demographic information
- Appointment history
- Clinical notes and documentation
- Billing and insurance details
- Secure messaging and portal access
Use a client record for anyone who is or will be receiving care.
Contacts
A Contact is a non-clinical individual associated with your practice or a client — such as a referring provider, emergency contact, guardian, or business partner. Contact records include:
- Basic contact information
- Relationship to clients (if applicable)
- Communication history
Use a contact record for people who are not receiving clinical services but need to be tracked in your system.
Key Difference
| Client | Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Receives clinical care | Yes | No |
| Has billing and insurance | Yes | No |
| Can access client portal | Yes | No |
| Linked to appointments | Yes | No |
| Used for referrals / relationships | Sometimes | Yes |