All about two-factor authentication

What is two-factor authentication?

Two-factor authentication enables advanced protection of practice data by requiring an authorized token in addition to the existing user id and password, while logging in to a Practo Ray practice.

Widely used by banks & financial institutions worldwide, this feature adds an extra layer of security to your Practo account by using something you know (your username & password) and something you have (your smartphone). It is also known as 2-factor authentication, TOTP-based authentication or simply 2FA.

How do I enable two-factor authentication?

Practice owners can enforce all their staff and doctors to use two-factor authentication for accessing their practice. Moreover, non-owner users and practice staff can also enable two-factor authentication for their personal Practo accounts.

A. For Practo Ray practices:

1. Practice owners can go to ‘Practice Staff’ in Settings and choose ‘Enforce 2 factor authentication’

Enable two-factor authentication for Practo Ray

2. Once enforced, all users (owners, other doctors, staff) will be prompted to Enable two-factor authentication the next time they try to access your practice.

User notificaiton to enable two-factor authentication for Practo Ray

B. For personal Practo accounts:

1. Any Practo user can visit Practo Accounts, login and click ‘Setup two-factor authentication’.

2. On the next screen, you will be prompted to download the Google Authenticator app.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions thereafter to setup your account.

How to I access my account after two-factor authentication has been enabled?

  1. Login to your Practo account with your existing username and password
  2. Enter your authentication token provided via your Authenticator app or sms
  3. Done. You can now access your practice data

To generate authentication tokens, follow the instructions below.

What is an authentication token?

An authentication token is a 6-digit numerical code generated by the Google Authenticator app or sent via SMS. It is a secure, time-bound and single use code.

6-digit verification token

How do I get my authentication token?

Authentication tokens can be generated in two ways:

  1. Using the Authenticator app (Recommended)
    1. Download the Google Authenticator app to your smartphone (Direct links for Android Play Store and iOS App Store)
    2. Follow the setup instructions below. Once the app has been set up, open it each time you wish to log in to your Practo account
    3. Your 6-digit token will be displayed in the app. Enter it on the Practo website and click ‘Verify’
  2. Via SMS
    1. After logging in to your Practo account with your username & password, click the ‘Send SMS’ button
    2. You will receive a SMS with your 6-digit token. Enter it on the Practo website and click ‘Verify’

How do I set up the Google Authenticator App on my smartphone?

Follow the instructions mentioned here.

How do I disable two-factor authentication?

A. For Practo Ray practices:

Practice owners can go to ‘Practice Staff’ in Settings and choose ‘Disable 2 factor authentication’. Note that all practice staff will hereafter be able to access the Practo Ray account without the need for two-authentication.

Disable two-factor authentication for Practo Ray

B. For personal Practo accounts:

Please contact us on support@practo.com.