How HIPAA Compliant Chat APIs Make Healthcare more Efficient and Streamlined
HIPAA compliant chat software is a widely accepted tool for communication in this age. But do we know that texting if unencrypted, can be intercepted during transmission? This is why HIPAA compliance needs to be taken seriously and failing to be compliant may cost your company a fortune. With this article, we will try to help you make a well-versed decision in choosing the best HIPAA compliant chat api.
What Is HIPAA? What is PHI?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ensures that Private Health Information (PHI) of users remain secure. It is a set of regulations for healthcare providers and businesses on how to handle data and health information and how to store, manage, and access PHI data correctly. Non-adherence of HIPAA can lead to penalties and fines.
PHI is any personal health information that is identifiable or can identify an individual. This data is usually created, used, or disclosed while providing healthcare chat api services i.e. during diagnosis, treatment. or payment by HIPAA-covered entities. PHI, or protected health information, includes information such as patient names, addresses, contact numbers, test results, health plan beneficiaries, etc.
To remaining HIPAA compliant ensures a few things
HIPAA regulations are simple to follow. For the covered entities under the Act, to be HIPAA compliant they need to ensure 4 clear points to remain compliant.
- PHI data must be protected at all times by having safeguards in place.
- PHI must only be accessible to the employees on a need-to-know basis.
- Those who provide services to the covered entities must sign a BAA (Business Associate Agreements) to ensure that PHI data stays secure with them.
- Internal policies and procedures must be laid to limit access to PHI data. The employees must be trained regularly about privacy and data security measures to ensure utmost safety.
Technical Safeguards Checklist for SaaS companies Explained
The technology teams have a responsibility to keep PHI secure by establishing technical safeguards. This includes implementing HIPAA-compliant data controls, encryption, and decryption, audit controls, emergency access procedures, file storage rules, etc. Here are 4 Technical Safeguards for data safety and authorized access to this data.
- Access Control – This can be accomplished through unique usernames, passwords, and an automatic log-off feature built into the software. These will ensure no unauthorized access. Only specifically known users will have the access to the devices.
- Audit Controls – This can be done by setting up detailed audit reports that can record every activity that occurred and who it was performed by. Establish this audit trail across hardware, software, and/or procedural mechanisms.
- Integrity Controls – This can be achieved through getting an off-site service that can store PHI communications for six years without the option of any modification on ePHI. This makes sure that e-PHI is not improperly modified before being disposed of.
- Transmission Security – The technical security measures must be in place to safeguard against any chance of unauthorized access to ePHI during transmissions.
Who must comply with HIPAA rules?
The entities who are obligated to follow HIPAA regulations are referred to as “covered entities”. Covered entities as identified by the Act are:
- Health plans
- Health care providers like including doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and pharmacies
- Healthcare clearinghouses
Apart from the above, the terms ‘covered entities,’ also include business Associates of the covered entities. Business Associates are third parties that perform functions for ‘covered entities’ and require the use of information (PHI). Examples are claims processing or administration companies, SaaS companies, Medical transcription services, Analytics companies.
How HIPAA helps to grow your practice
Being HIPAA compliant is a legal requirement, but it fetches many other benefits for the user facilities. One can be certain about the patient data security management systems and its optimization when they are adhering to HIPAA compliance.
- A HIPAA compliant organization has a robust data security infrastructure focused on protecting patient data, which helps build trust among patients and opens doors to new patients.
- Proactive protection of sensitive data and heightened cyber security postures will limit vulnerability breaches and save you penalty money.
- There is improved physical security at such workplaces with the installation of surveillance cameras, alarm systems, etc.
- It also reduces medical errors that are bound to happen in large and busy medical systems.
- Employees are trained in the process of compliance to follow and adhere to the best practices necessary to keep data safe. This ensures a strong “human firewall”.
- Having protected data systems and procedures, helps you gain trust from other businesses for partnerships.
- There is better patient care with electronic records, more information about patients, and a better understanding of patient’s medical history.
- One of the top benefits of HIPAA compliance is the ability to reduce the risk of a data breach.
- HIPAA compliant messaging system also enhances organizational and individual productivity as it streamlines healthcare administration and work processes.
How Can HIPAA Compliant Chat API Help?
An important reason why healthcare organizations implement HIPAA compliant chat is to protect PHI data and be safe from any significant fines, penalties, charges, and lawsuits. However, complete adherence to HIPAA guidelines is like a gold standard in healthcare. Having a compliant chat API unlocks the benefits of modern messaging along with the safety measures that HIPAA compliance gives.
What Are the Benefits of Using HIPAA Compliant Chat API?
Texting is an efficient means of communication, particularly for busy service providers. But texting also poses a major risk for healthcare providers because it may lead to privacy
and security violations. This is the reason, HIPAA necessitates the healthcare industry to safeguard patient privacy and personal data. Apart from this, here are a few other benefits of having a chat API technology introduced to your health facility.
Streamlined Diagnosis: With the use of HIPAA-compliant live chat technology, there is improved coordination between physicians, specialists, and patients leading up to correct diagnosis faster.
Efficiency: Time spent on non-essential tasks gets reduced significantly, allowing physicians to examine more patients at the same time, increasing administrative efficiency.
Response Times: In emergency cases, HIPAA-compliant live chat can cut down significant time. E.g. Lab tests do not need to be delivered physically; instead, they can be received instantly.
Secure storage: Past communications can be stored safely to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Lifesaving EMT communications: Before beginning treatment for critical patients the EMTs can consult in emergency for preliminary measures during transit of the patient to the hospital.
Reduced Treatment Errors: Errors reduce because medical staff can coordinate freely via these specialized apps.
Reminders: Building HIPAA compliant live video and chat facilitate strengthen follow-up care through reminders.
HIPAA Chat APIs bring long term big benefits with its small price
HIPAA chat API for the healthcare sector, with an affordable pricing structure. With all the liberty to launch your app quickly with 100% customization and extensively advanced features, protect your employees, patients and customers. Takes up the complex task of compliance for you so that you can rest assured. So, make your investment in best telehealth app, of much value as it lets the healthcare sector cultivate an upscale ecosystem that has cost benefits that are achieved by boosting and simplifying communication between patients and doctors.
CONCLUSION
The above information explains how HIPAA-compliant chat APIs bring innumerable benefits to the telehealth sector in the current scenario. In simple words, these HIPAA compliant chat software do not just make you compliant but they make you an ideal partner for business collaborations and a preferred choice for your patients.