secure vs hipaa compliant text messaging

White paper from DocHalo explores the differences between secure vs. hipaa compliant text messaging and what features make a secure texting solution truly HIPAA-compliant.

The need for physicians and other healthcare team members to be in constant communication with each other has never been higher. Secure texting applications seek to provide healthcare professionals a quick and convenient way to connect while complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other privacy regulations.

Text messages are, in principle, an excellent way to transfer information on the go. They are useful in communication between doctors, nurses, office staff and even patients. Text messaging is a viable replacement for older, less efficient technologies such as the pager. Texting is real-time communication which email doesn’t equal. Physicians have shown an affinity for the method. In a study published in 2014, well over half of physicians at pediatric hospitals reported sending and receiving work-related text messages, and 12 percent said they sent more than 10 messages per shift .

Unfortunately, despite being used frequently in healthcare, standard text messages and most “secure” applications lack the encryption and other features needed to avoid potentially costly and embarrassing HIPAA infractions. Such violations, if due to “willful neglect,” can lead to fines of $50,000 per violation, to a maximum “of $1.5 million a year. The right physician messaging solution keeps PHI private while making healthcare professionals’ lives easier and improving quality of care. Choosing an app that will truly keep your patients’ data safe, however, can be a challenge because “secure” does not always mean “HIPAA-compliant.” HIPAA-compliant is much more stringent and unfortunately most applications just aren’t.

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