HIPAA Compliant Email Services Made Easy
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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996 to reduce healthcare fraud and abuse, to establish industry standards for how confidential healthcare information is stored, transferred and protected, and to provide Americans with the ability to transfer health insurance coverage when they change jobs. Privacy regulations within the act require healthcare providers to ensure the security of their patients' protected information when it is transferred between providers or other business associates. It also dictates how to handle patient information during an online transfer, and who is allowed to access this information with and without patient consent.
Electronic medical records and the internet have created unique challenges to maintaining confidentiality. Thankfully, there are still plenty of ways for healthcare providers to ensure their patients' security when transferring potentially sensitive data. It is, however, important for healthcare facilities to work with a company that specializes in providing secure data transmission because of rigorous HIPAA standards for compliance. Healthcare providers and patients often have many questions about the best way to communicate online. Can sensitive health information be shared via the internet? Does it require specialized software? Is Gmail HIPAA-compliant? The answers aren't simple. While it is possible and beneficial to keep in touch via the internet regarding patient care, steps must be taken to ensure patient confidentiality. That's why secure email services that specialize in HIPAA-compliant data storage and transfer exist. Following are some of the comprehensive secure data transmission services available. |
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Email Services
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In the past, patients had few options when discussing their care. They could go to their doctors' offices in person, communicate via physical mail or use a fax machine. These solutions required a good deal of time and hassle. That is no longer the case, thanks to the internet.
Keeping in touch with patients via email allows providers to ensure they are providing the best possible care. But many HIPPA-compliant email services are unnecessarily complex for patients to use. They require plugins, portals and sometimes as many as five stages of log-in authentication. The extra work required to keep in touch with patients via HIPAA email can be off-putting to those who require medical care. It can also lead to unnecessary complications and wasted time for providers. One of the easiest ways for healthcare facilities to reduce unnecessary spending and optimize their workflows is to work with a company that specializes in HIPAA-compliant messaging. These companies provide ways for their clients to eliminate the need for paper letters and faxes, helping them to save time and money. They also allow patients to avoid the hassles of finding fax machines, downloading specialized programs, scanning documents and dealing with unnecessary complications. More than just adequate encryption is required to meet HIPAA standards. Changes made to HIPAA in 2013 set forth several requirements before an online communication can be considered compliant. These rules include restricting access to protected information, and also require facilities to ensure the integrity of any personal health information communicated online. Providers also need to ensure 100 percent message accountability and are required to monitor how their patients' protected information is being transmitted. Encryption alone doesn't meet the audit control requirements set forth in the 2013 revisions, which is why it's important to use a service that specializes specifically in providing secure communications for healthcare facilities instead of just general encryption services. The ideal provider will be able to integrate HIPAA compliance into existing email platforms such as Microsoft Exchange, G Suite and Office 365. This allows patients to use the programs they already know and understand. It also allows doctors and other staff members to communicate with their patients from anywhere instead of being tied to a desk, freeing up extra time to work with patients. |
Data Sharing Solutions
Not all doctor-patient communications occur via basic email services. That's why it's essential for healthcare providers to work with a company that also offers HIPAA-compliant hosting and file sharing. These services allow providers to share test results, paperwork, and other essential documents without the need for scheduling extra appointments.
In order to ensure compliance with HIPAA, secure data sharing platforms use encryption software, in addition to malware and virus scanning. These measures allow clients and their patients to rest easier knowing their information is safe, and access to it is appropriately restricted. Healthcare providers can manage who has access to files and folders, and can make changes to these permissions as necessary. The ability to change permissions and use master keys to encrypt and decrypt patient information makes audits easier. Unique encryption keys can be generated for each point of network access, providing enough flexibility to allow straightforward file sharing without jeopardizing the organization's compliance and the patient's privacy.
These privacy protocols don't just increase patients' confidence in the level of care they are receiving, they also ensure that providers do not face legal repercussions due to potential HIPAA violations. Companies offering secure data transfer services know the importance of complying with HIPAA. They also understand the complexities of the laws pertaining to patient privacy, making them a perfect resource for all healthcare providers.
Those who work for public health organizations likely already know data sharing does not occur exclusively between patients and their providers. It is equally important to ensure the authenticity and the security of other forms of patient information, such as laboratory test results, clinician reports and vital records.
When healthcare providers need to share information with specialists at other facilities, with public health organizations or with others who have been approved to receive relevant patient information, they must use the same level of care as when they communicate with patients. This can be more of a challenge for those who use patient portals for data transfer instead of cloud-based integrated file sharing services, which require less time and less hassle.
In order to ensure compliance with HIPAA, secure data sharing platforms use encryption software, in addition to malware and virus scanning. These measures allow clients and their patients to rest easier knowing their information is safe, and access to it is appropriately restricted. Healthcare providers can manage who has access to files and folders, and can make changes to these permissions as necessary. The ability to change permissions and use master keys to encrypt and decrypt patient information makes audits easier. Unique encryption keys can be generated for each point of network access, providing enough flexibility to allow straightforward file sharing without jeopardizing the organization's compliance and the patient's privacy.
These privacy protocols don't just increase patients' confidence in the level of care they are receiving, they also ensure that providers do not face legal repercussions due to potential HIPAA violations. Companies offering secure data transfer services know the importance of complying with HIPAA. They also understand the complexities of the laws pertaining to patient privacy, making them a perfect resource for all healthcare providers.
Those who work for public health organizations likely already know data sharing does not occur exclusively between patients and their providers. It is equally important to ensure the authenticity and the security of other forms of patient information, such as laboratory test results, clinician reports and vital records.
When healthcare providers need to share information with specialists at other facilities, with public health organizations or with others who have been approved to receive relevant patient information, they must use the same level of care as when they communicate with patients. This can be more of a challenge for those who use patient portals for data transfer instead of cloud-based integrated file sharing services, which require less time and less hassle.
Encrypted Contact Forms |
Encrypted contact forms allow patients and their providers to save time and hassle. They can be custom-created to include whatever fields are required, and can be used to upload file attachments and share basic information. Encrypted forms allow patients to upload signed documents, get copies of their medical reports and more without worrying about the security of the information being shared. The ideal way to process encrypted contact forms is to use a service that integrates forms and attachments into patients' and providers' email inboxes. This prevents the need for checking notifications, logging into patient portal applications and wasting time filling out and sending in forms by hand. It also helps to streamline healthcare facilities' workflows, saving their employees time and their organizations money. Contact forms can be customized with the organization's logo and can be optimized for use on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Cloud-based encrypted forms are designed to meet rigorous security standards while simultaneously allowing fast file transfers. Once the information is uploaded, it can be accessed from anywhere by those doctors, nurses and other staff members who require access according to HIPAA. While it's true some documents are more easily signed in person, allowing patients to share information via encrypted forms also lets them prepare in advance for their appointments. Instead of arriving early, they can fill out the necessary paperwork on their own time and upload it to the server for later access by their healthcare providers. Providers can also use encrypted forms to collect patient satisfaction reports and ensure the highest possible standards of care. |
As with email transmission, more than just encryption is required to ensure the safe transmission of most patient forms. Secure data sharing services make sure no one can access information without authorization. They also sign business associate agreements required of vendors to ensure that providers do not face steep fines due to compliance violations.
Data Storage Solutions
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Many forms of patient information must be stored securely for later access even after they have been transmitted to patients. This can be difficult given the rigorous standards for data storage set forth by HIPAA. Using a HIPAA-compliant storage service ensures that no sensitive information slips through the cracks and that no essential data is lost throughout the communication process.
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Emails, forms and attachments should all be backed up securely for the duration of a patient’s treatment. The information they contain should be maintained securely and protected from malicious hackers and other external threats.
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Unfortunately, not all data breaches occur via intentional cybercrime. Human error comes into play when protected health information is accidentally transmitted. Using a storage service that features customizable data loss prevention rules that fit each client's unique needs is the best way to prevent human error.
Healthcare providers and their patients should be able to quarantine emails or archive them easily without the fear that these emails and the information they contain will be lost or fall into the wrong hands. Without a secure data storage solution in place, this is often difficult, if not impossible. Restoring lost emails can place a huge burden on facilities' IT teams or leave providers without access to essential information required to provide ongoing care or prove that patients received an adequate standard of care in the event of an incident.
The ideal storage solution won't require the help of an in-house IT team. Administrators should be able to set permissions, designate data loss prevention standards and access information from an easy-to-use dashboard. The program should be easy to understand and easy to monitor, allowing providers to gain insight about ongoing trends and identify training opportunities for their employees. Patients and providers shouldn't have to worry about whether essential information will be lost after it has been transmitted. It is common for medical records, test results and patient forms to be reviewed later by specialists or primary care physicians keeping track of patient progress. When patient data is stored on-site, there is always the possibility that it will be lost due to equipment failure or human error, but cloud-based storage solutions prevent this possibility.
The Take-Away
Ensuring compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is important, and it shouldn't have to come at the expense of convenience or quality of care. Working with a knowledgeable service provider experienced in working with clients in the healthcare industry ensures it won't have to.
There are plenty of encryption services, but few have access to the knowledge and technology necessary to provide the level of security and privacy required for handling protected information and data. Choosing the right service requires evaluating the level of service being provided and balancing it with the cost of signing up.
Readers who are still uncertain about who to turn to for fully-protected communications and data storage can get in touch for additional information or answers to any questions they may have today to get started. They can also trust they'll get the help they need to set their organizations on the right track and provide employee training so everyone is on the same page regarding the importance of following appropriate security protocols. Get in touch today to get started.
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