The safest place for patient audio is the machine it was recorded on.
Transcription and notes run entirely on your Mac. No audio is transmitted, so no additional party ever holds the recording.
Every cloud notetaker you evaluate becomes another party that holds identifiable audio — another agreement to negotiate, another retention policy, another breach surface. Keeping the recording on the device removes the question instead of answering it.
No transmission, no additional holder
Recording, transcription and note generation all happen locally. Because the app has no server, there is no vendor copy of the audio anywhere.
Works in restricted networks
It keeps working with no internet at all — useful in facilities where clinical machines are network-restricted by policy.
Files you control and can delete
Recordings and notes are ordinary files in ~/Documents. You decide where they are stored, backed up, and when they are destroyed.
This page describes where processing happens; it is not a claim of compliance with HIPAA or any other regime. Cachalot is a tool you run on your own device — assessing it against your obligations, and obtaining consent to record, remains your responsibility.