database step 146 and the audio and or text files in the reply data message are added to the new exam record step 148 once the audio and or text files have been stored in the database 20 either at step 108 or step 110 an acknowledgment is returned to the recipient pacs 14 to confirm receipt of the reply data message step 152 if the recipient elects to forward the data message to another recipient the forwarding rights are examined see step 154 in fig7 if the recipient does not have forwarding rights the recipient is inhibited from performing this task step 156 if the recipient has forwarding rights the local address book of the recipient is checked to determine if the new recipient has been assigned exchange rights exchange rights assigned by the recipient can further restrict the rights of the new recipient but not expand the exchange rights established by the original sender if the new recipient has been assigned exchange rights that further restrict the rights of the new recipient those exchange rights are included in the exam structure otherwise the exchange rights established by the original sender are included in the exam structure following this clear text in text files in the original exam structure are encrypted step 158 and clear text in text files appended to the exam structure by the recipient are also encrypted step 160 the exam structure and appended files are bundled step 162 to form the forwarding data message and the forwarding data message is encrypted and mime encoded step 164 following this the forwarding data message is attached to a conventional e mail message and is forwarded to the new recipient by the mail server step 166 a flag.