HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a crucial legislation that intends to protect patient information and secure their rights. Non-adherence to HIPAA may result in reputational damage, penalties, and hefty fines. For instance,
Montefiore Medical Center paid a fine of $4,75,000 in 2024 as the firm failed to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis, review records of information system activity, and so on.
A powerful HIPAA-compliant communication channel is essential to ensure high-quality patient care in the healthcare industry. To comply with HIPAA guidelines, the communication tools must have security features like encryption, role-based access controls, and others.
This article gives you the top 9 appropriate ways to communicate HIPAA for healthcare professionals. Read on.
What is HIPAA-compliant communication?
As noted above, HIPAA is a federal law with standards and norms to secure medical records and patient information. HIPAA-compliant communication refers to secure electronic transmission of patient health information through text messages, emails, video conferencing, voice calls, and so on. There are several norms that a vendor and a covered entity (healthcare provider) must follow.
- Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to ensure the vendors safeguard PHI.
- Incident Response Plan to address potential data breach.
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to define the data handling and protection responsibilities of the vendor and covered entity.
Consequences of HIPAA violations
HIPAA violations are a costly affair and the damages may include:
Reputational harm
HIPAA violations lead to negative media coverage which may impact the public image and reputation of the healthcare provider. Patients may lose trust in the organization, leading to revenue losses.
Financial penalties
The penalties for HIPAA violations are substantial and vary based on the severity and nature of the violation. Typically, the fines and penalties range from $137 to $68,928 per violation.
Lawsuits and criminal penalties
Patients may file lawsuits and claim damages from data breaches that drain organizations’ finances. Serious violations may lead to criminal penalties as severe as 10 years of imprisonment.
9 HIPAA-compliant communication methods
Here, we have listed 9 appropriate ways to communicate HIPAA and insulate your business from breaches.
1. Secure messaging platforms
When it comes to patient communication, messaging platforms remain the most preferred channel. As per Statista, around 3.5 billion people use messaging apps in 2024, roughly 44% of the global population.
Several medical chat service vendors offer APIs to quickly integrate chat applications into the existing tech stack of businesses. However, to leave no scope of security lapse, you must choose a HIPAA-compliant messaging platform. Do check for the following features:
- End-to-end encryption of data to prevent unauthorized access during transmission.
- Multi-factor authentication to verify the user's identity before allowing access
- Role-based access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel access the patient data.
- Conduct periodic compliance audits: Prepare audit reports and monitor the user's activity recorded in the logs.
Apart from this, look for robust communication features like real-time notifications, file sharing, threaded conversations, and others. The open-source platforms often support on-premise deployment and a high degree of customizability and scalability. So, check for hosting and customizability before choosing a messaging platform.
2. Encrypted email services
Email services are a traditional form of communication and to ensure compliance with HIPAA, they must be:
- Encrypted: Those emails with patient data must be encrypted in transit and rest.
- Subject to stringent access controls to ensure that the emails reach the intended personnel.
- Frequent employee training to create awareness of phishing attacks.
- Take written consent from patients.
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3. HIPAA-compliant video conferencing
Telemedicine is a rapidly evolving phenomenon as it allows patients to consult specialists remotely. It promotes swift consultation and timely care while minimizing the time spent in travel and hospital waiting.
As per a survey by MedCity News,
80% of medical professionals agreed that telehealth improved patients' access to healthcare.
To choose a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform, you must check for end-to-end encryption and role-based user controls. In addition, it must have the following:
- Business Associate Agreement (BAA): You must sign a BAA with the third-party vendor while agreeing on the responsibilities involved in safeguarding patient health records.
- Meeting lock features enable the organizer to seal the meeting room once all the participants have joined.
- Virtual waiting rooms allow healthcare professionals to admit only the intended participants.
- Automatic log-off facility if left unintended for a specified duration.
4. Secure file-sharing systems
It is a common practice for healthcare providers to share prescriptions, patient files, test reports, and documents online. To ensure HIPAA compliance, the service provider must ensure that the files are end-to-end encrypted and that patient details are protected during transmission.
5. Patient portals
Healthcare providers offer self-service portals to enable patients to access their information, manage appointments, request prescription refills, and make online payments. The portal must have the following to promote HIPAA adherence:
- Secure login: Portals must have strong authentication methods and password policies to prevent unauthorized access.
- Document management: Patients must be allowed to securely upload and download medical documents, reports, and payment history.
6. HIPAA-compliant voice calls
A CNBC news report shows that 88% of medical appointments are booked through voice calls. So, a secure voice channel is a must-have for healthcare providers.
Similar to video conferencing and messaging, voice calls must be encrypted with AES (Advanced Encryption Standards). They must be made through authorized devices only.
7. Fax
While using faxes in hospitals, they must be secured in a safe location to prevent unauthorized access. They must be subject to role-based access where only the authenticated personnel is allowed to send or receive faxes.
8. Secure text messaging
Traditional SMS remains the standard for healthcare communication as studies show that open rates are as high as 98%. However, the text messaging is not HIPAA-compliant. You must sign up for HIPAA-compliant texting platforms that have the following:
- Automatic log-off after a certain period with no activity
- Authorized users must have a unique ID and password
- Messages must be encrypted in transit
9. Secure mobile apps for healthcare communication
As per Statista, around 70% of the global population uses mobile phones. Using mobile applications for customer and workplace communication promotes real-time collaboration through text, video, and voice modes.
Investing in dedicated mobile apps helps offer personalized patient care. Note that they must have robust authentication and access controls, consent management features, and EHR integration abilities.
Key Takeaway
As per the HIPAA journal, there was a 239% increase in hacking-related data breaches. HIPAA violations lead to fines, reputational damage, and criminal penalties. So, organizations must secure themselves from hacking and related incidents. By complying with HIPAA, they can demonstrate their commitment to protecting patient privacy and sensitive information.
Choosing HIPAA-compliant software platforms is one of the appropriate ways to communicate HIPAA for healthcare professionals. Rocket.Chat is a secure messaging platform designed to serve businesses in regulated industries like healthcare, defense, education, and so on. It is fully compliant with data regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and FINRA.
Other important features of this open-source platform include:
- End-to-end encryption
- Multi-factor authentication
- Role-based access controls
- On-premises and cloud deployment
- High scalability and collaboration-friendly
- Supports text, video, and voice communication
- File sharing and threaded conversations
With advanced data security and privacy features, it remains the most preferred live chat solution for healthcare businesses.
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- Highly secure and flexible
- On-prem or cloud deployment
