Introduction
Patients are the most valuable asset for any medical organization. Medical professionals work day in and day out to give the patients the best care. In the quest for optimum patient care, many healthcare professionals, especially therapists who deal with private patient information daily have switched to HIPAA-Compliant Texting platforms.
HIPAA-compliant texting allows medical healthcare professionals to send messages to patients in a secure manner. HIPAA-compliant texting offers message security that healthcare organization sends to their patients or vice versa. HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists and other medical professionals is very different from regular texting as It establishes patient-healthcare trust for enhanced data security.
Let’s take a deep dive into how HIPAA texting works, and what its advantages to therapists and medical professionals should do to prevent HIPAA violations.
Why Do Therapists Need HIPAA-Compliant Text Messaging With Patients?
HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists is gaining more and more attention in recent years. With HIPAA-compliant texting, therapists can offer a highly secure communication channel for patients and improve their business outcomes. It’s also a key part of having HIPAA compliant therapist marketing. Here are some key benefits of HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists:
Boost clinic productivity
Texting is the strongest and fastest mode of communication today, even in healthcare. With a few clicks, you can easily convey your words to your patients or other staff. HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists helps them securely connect with patients, staff, and other healthcare members, the therapists can go over any sensitive details or PHI, discuss diagnostic reports, share important aftercare information with patients, and manage healthcare tasks without worrying about security or data breaches. HIPAA-compliant texting adds workflow efficiency and easily boosts clinic productivity for therapists.
Communicate with staff
Communicating with staff over texts using any HIPAA-compliant texting is a fairly easy task. With HIPAA security and encryption, therapists can easily provide secure links, diagnostic reports, and health updates to staff. The staff and healthcare providers can have clear communication and together with secure texting yield better business outcomes.
Send important updates
Any important update related to any patient’s health cannot be shared over normal text messaging. Normal texting services don’t provide any kind of security which can lead to data breaches anytime. But sending updates with HIPAA-compliant texting is super quick and safe. Therapists can send updates to staff about shift changes, patient handling, patient diagnostics, etc. Patients can also get secure updates about appointments, aftercare, or important events seamlessly with HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists.
Communicate in real-time with clients
Send real-time updates, appointment reminders, appointment timings info, intake forms, secure payment links, patient reports, diagnosis aftercare, treatment plans, etc. securely using HIPAA-compliant texting. Therapists and their staff can easily communicate crucial details to their patients without any data compromise using HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists.
Secure and effective HIPAA-compliant texting with patients
The best advantage of HIPAA-compliant texting over normal communication is the safety and security with which medical professionals can share information over texts with patients and vice versa. Healthcare providers can effectively reach out to patients, and offer them treatment and detailed treatment aftercare using effective HIPAA texting.
Limitations Of Standard Texting When Compared to HIPAA-Compliant Texting
Standards texting lacks access control
Standard texting platforms and services lack any kind of access control. Any individual can drop a text message with any device without going through the identification process.
Whereas, HIPAA requires access controls to safeguard patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). SMS doesn’t have these controls, so patients don’t need to enter a password to read a text.
While with HIPAA compliance for texting, access to PHI must be allowed to authorized users. HIPAA-compliant text messaging also ensures a system architecture that tracks the activities of even authorized users so the activity of authorized users and any changes in PHI are tracked.
Standard texting lacks audit controls
Most of the texting services have No audit controls for medical professionals. With no audit control, therapists or Medical staff have no database record of any changes made to patient’s PHI.
That is not the case with HIPAA-compliant texting services for therapists. HIPAA offers audit controls when PHI is created, modified, accessed, shared, or deleted. SMS doesn’t have audit controls over the PHI database.
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Standard text messages don’t offer end-to-end encryption for messages, HIPAA does
Standard texting doesn’t allow explicit consent to patients (beforehand message consent from the patient for sharing sensitive information over the texting channel). There are no opt-out mechanisms in case the patient doesn’t wish to receive SMS updates. With HIPAA secure texting, data transmitted beyond an organization’s internal firewall is encrypted to make it secure and hidden if it is intercepted in transit.
How To Ensure HIPAA-Compliant Secure Texting For Therapists
Use a HIPAA Compliant Texting platform
Many texting platforms offer HIPAA-compliant texting for an extra added layer of security for sending messages back and forth. Such texting platforms encrypt your messages, regulate controlled access to texts, and prevent data leakage. Therapists or any other medical professional can keep their patient’s data safe with such platforms and also can avoid breaching any of the HIPAA laws laid down in healthcare.
Taking the patient’s consent
The biggest motive of secure HIPAA texting for therapists is to build trusted relationships with patients. Thereby, written consent can be taken from patients while they do a doctor’s visit to receive an SMS containing PHI. Consent should also be taken via SMS before starting a message thread with a patient for sharing any PHI information including name, diagnosis result, treatment plans, etc. Patients are also represented with an opt-out feature in case they don’t wish to receive health-related SMS.
No unnecessary addition of PHI information
The messages sent by therapists can include PHI info as little as possible. Therapists could use shortcodes for patients’ confidential info and secure links to obtain more PHI information. This ensures enhanced safety along with HIPAA compliance.
Secure devices
Therapists and other healthcare professionals should use strong passwords and double authentication for a layer of extra security while handling PHI. Regular device checkups should be done just to make sure no malware or virus is threatening PHI security.
Avoid text message retention
Many other texting platform retains text messages and their backup on their server for a long time. This can be a huge potential threat to patients’ PHI information. Therapists should be well aware of message backup, message retention, how long sensitive messages are stored and how can they be securely destroyed or removed permanently. With HIPAA Compliant secure text messaging, messages, and databases are encrypted and monitored regularly.
Benefits Of HIPAA-Compliant Texting For Therapists
HIPAA-compliant texting and messaging for therapists can be a savior. The profession of therapists is filled with sensitive patient information that they need to protect. This information is vital also for offering better treatment plans for patients. So, HIPAA texting really saves the day for therapists and healthcare organizations as a whole. Let’s take a look at some of its benefits.
Clear communication security measures
All the regulations mentioned in the HIPAA Law Act 1996, are followed and all the data shared complies with different guidelines laid down by the gov in the law. So the patients are rest assured. Before sending mass texts or even starting a message thread with a patient, consent is taken and still, the patients can opt out of the texting service at their own will. There are separate guidelines for health plans offered by medical organizations, healthcare providers, healthcare clearing houses, and business associates for clear and crisp security communication.
Patient Satisfaction
With the Complete security of data, patients feel at ease with the therapists and share their sensei information for better treatment. Using HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists, organizations enjoy benefits like no data inconsistencies, safe intake forms, broadcast messaging with patient consent, etc. These effective and secure features would help patients trust the healthcare organization and be truthful with their therapists. Patient satisfaction in turn offers great results for business growth as well.
Streamline communication
Streamlining communication throughout the organization is one of the biggest advantages of HIPAA-compliant text messaging. Patients enjoy online scheduling, booking appointments, getting intake forms filled, autoresponders, quick two-way texting, etc. all with the security of HIPAA. All can be managed through HIPAA-compliant texting and higher productivity can be achieved by streamlining these tasks throughout the day. So therapists can now focus on their patients solely.
Better patient care
patients don’t have to wait in long lines, they can directly book appointments with HIPAA-compliant texting services. their intake forms and diagnostic records are well maintained within the organization using CRM integrations, and HIPAA compliance so no stress of data breaches. With all the manual work being streamlined using HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists, staff experience reduced phone calls with ease. A healthcare provider’s attention is completely towards the patient and proper patient care is implemented with HIPAA in action.
Replace unverified phone calls with secure HIPAA texting:
With HIPAA-compliant texting, you can securely share information with your therapists without worrying about data breaches. The messages are encrypted and any change in the PHI database is also monitored, keeping your medical records safe. Using phones for long hours and sensitive information while booking appointments is highly unsecured. So, phone calls are reduced significantly with patients using HIPAA-compliant texting.
Achieve The Best HIPAA-Compliant Texting Services For Therapists – With Emitrr
The Emitrr software is a reliable & renounced HIPAA-compliant texting platform that offers the most intuitive features, user-friendly layout, and top-notch customer support. Some of the popular software reviewing platforms (Capterra, G2, etc.), has rated Emitrr a five out of five stars for its ease of use and customer support.
The best part about Emitrr is the security it offers as a texting platform. Emitrr is the best and most affordable HIPAA-compliant texting service for therapists option. Emitrr follows all the HIPAA guidelines and works on bringing the best features with more security adaptability. Let’s have a look at Emitrr’s benefits:
Secure text messaging
End-to-end encryption: end-to-end encryption safety measure ensures that no third party can access any messages you share with your patients. At Emitrr, with HIPAA compliance being the pivotal point, data hosted on the servers is encrypted, and only the intended recipient can view those messages. No third party, or middle ground intercepters, including Google, can access your messages.
Secure PHI sharing: Emitrr offers a special feature called “secure texting and secure PHI sharing”. With Emitrr, all the sensitive phi information of patients can be shared through HIPAA-compliant texting in a controlled environment. There is no data breach or loss of personal information and therapists can easily discuss healthcare plans with their patients over text.
Multi-tenant architecture: Emitrr’s multi-tenant architecture is another big win for any healthcare organization looking for HIPAA-compliant text messaging options. Emitrr supports multi-tenant architecture. It means that all the patient data is not hosted on one single architecture but on different servers. Since data is well distributed over different servers, decryption or data breach is nearly impossible, hence keeping patient information safe at all costs and not overstepping HIPAA rules.
SOC2 Compliance: SOC2 Compliance is a voluntary compliance standard developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) that has guidelines on how service organizations should manage all customer data. It is categorized into 4 Trust Services Criteria; namely Security, Confidentiality, Availability, and Processing Integrity. Emitrr does an amazing job of offering HIPAA-compliant but also SOC2-compliant. It’s essential to check whether a texting platform offers SOC2 Compliance while choosing a HIPAA-compliant platform.
HIPAA compliance: Emitrr offers HIPAA compliance texting for secure texting. With HIPAA compliance, all texts sent to patients or vice versa are monitored and no retention of PHI data on different servers is allowed. The texts go through an audit and access controls and are encrypted to prevent any third party interception.
Reduce hourly long call follow-ups
Use follow-up text from anywhere. With a single click, send follow-up texts within seconds for lab reports, insurance, PHI, and more with Emitrr.
The Emitrr platform reduces the overload of long calls to deal with patients and their bookings. Instead, bring all your streamlined communication tasks at play with Emitrr’s HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists and other medical professionals.
Reduce patient response time
Send secure end-to-end encrypted messages, and secure links and easily inform patients about important events or alerts using message broadcast. With double layer security of SOC2 compliance and HIPAA, the patient would quickly reach out to their therapists in time of need leading to reduced response time by therapists and medical staff as well.
Easy two-way integration with 500+ EHR/EMR
Emitrr offers robust integration methods with more than 500+ EHREMR systems. So all your patient’s records are managed and kept secure under one platform, Emitrr. Easy access to records and secure data management is possible with Emitrr’s swift integration.
Cost-effective solution
Emitrr is a cost-effective option that offers simple texting features and next-gen SMS capabilities under one platform. Use missed calls to texts, drip campaigns, and 24/7 customer support to increase your business outreach. Upscale your business with Emitrr’s robust yet easy-to-use features for all ages.
FAQs
Messages sent using different text messaging platforms are generally not HIPAA compliant. Normal text messages do not have any added layer of security to it. But in healthcare, to make messaging back and forth with patients secure and to protect any patient’s PHI (Protected Health Information), medical professionals use certain guidelines in compliance with the HIPAA law. Few texting services offer HIPAA-compliant text messaging features.
So sending SMS to patients under HIPAA compliance is called HIPAA-compliant texting. Such HIPAA-compliant texts have access and audit controls, are encrypted, and are even monitored in controlled environments.
No, it’s not illegal to send text messages without HIPAA compliance but individuals need to be mindful of what they’re communicating through text in the healthcare setting. Any unauthorized text message would mean a HIPAA violation and hence would result in hefty fines. Using text messaging options in healthcare settings without following HIPAA guidelines can pose the threat of data breach to patient’s PHI which can result in lawsuits against the healthcare organization. With no encryption, text messages sent to patients or vice versa can easily be intercepted leading to PHI information leakage. So it’s preferred to send HIPAA-compliant texts.
Therapists, as medical professionals, go over a lot of sensitive and personal information with patients to provide them with an optimum treatment plan. So, the texts exchanged between them also have the patient’s PHI information. Aside from that sharing secure links on texts and treatment care plans also can lead to data breaches if not encrypted. But HIPAA-compliant texting solves these issues. With HIPAA-compliant testing for therapists, then can send encrypted texts securely under proper monitoring to prevent any data breach or interception in transmission.
After comparing many HIPAA texting software, we concluded that Emitrr is the best HIPAA-compliant texting software for therapists. Emitrr as a HIPAA-compliant texting platform follows HIPAA guidelines for secure texting, offers SOC2 as well for an extra layer of added data protection, and has intuitive texting capabilities that can lead to enhanced business outcomes. So, Emitrr, as a robust texting platform securely lets patient therapists exchange SMS and streamline tasks efficiently for the organization.
If you have decided to make the switch to Emitrr for its amazing HIPAA-compliant texting solutions, then you just need to contact Emitrr’s technical support team. Complete the formality and Emitrr’s technical team will take care of the software training, integrations, and other specifications.
Conclusion
After understanding HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists, its uses, and its benefits, we have come to a conclusion. One software that surpasses all expectations is Emitrr. The Emitrr software fits well as the best HIPAA-compliant texting for therapists with its exceptional features and business-driven output results. Book a demo today to select which Emitrr’s use case suits you best!
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