If you run a medical office or a healthcare organization, you know that phone calls are the lifeline of any practice. Although many patient interactions now take place online through secure patient portals, phone calls are still the primary inbound method of communication. Patients or caretakers may be calling in to schedule an appointment to receive a referral, to report symptoms or to request urgent medical advice, to discuss billing and insurance, to get directions to your office and more. Handling phones at a medical office or healthcare organization is more than a full-time job.
Medical answering services are a key partner for healthcare organizations ranging from solo practices to large facilities with multiple locations and specialties. Being available to patients 24/7 by phone is a huge advantage offered by medical answering services. It improves patient satisfaction, streamlines appointment scheduling, and takes the burden off in-house receptionists and other personnel. However, you may be concerned about patient privacy and how an outsourced answering service or virtual receptionist would handle sensitive patient data.
What is HIPAA?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data in the healthcare industry. Compliance with HIPAA regulations is not just a legal requirement but also a fundamental responsibility to safeguard individuals’ privacy and maintain trust between patients and healthcare providers. By implementing the latest security measures, stringent policies, and comprehensive training, healthcare organizations ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI). HIPAA compliance mitigates the risk of data breaches and penalties and fosters a culture of privacy, security, and ethical responsibility within the healthcare ecosystem. The way health information is transferred, shared, and stored needs to be planned and monitored carefully. If you manage a medical office or a healthcare organization in the United States, your staff receives regular training on HIPAA and patient data privacy.
HIPAA and Third Parties
Regulations of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) not only affect direct providers, but these guidelines also extend to third parties who medical professionals hire or contract with. If you’re a doctor or medical provider outsourcing your messaging service, it’s important to ensure the answering service is HIPAA compliant. A non-compliant answering service or violations by hired third parties can adversely affect you. But, the big question is, are answering services HIPAA compliant? It’s not always a simple yes or no so how do you know the answering service you hired is HIPAA compliant? Can you trust an outsourced medical answering service to protect the privacy of your patients? Here are some key steps to review to ensure that your our patients and your practice are protected:
Did the Answering Service Complete HIPAA Certification and Training?
The healthcare industry makes up a large portion of the clientele for messaging and answering services. Some messaging services are HIPAA compliant and have undergone training to identify what Protected Health Information (PHI) is and how to safeguard it. This regular training and monitoring includes managing who has access to patient information such as office personnel or any additional contractors your answering service may use. This could be IT or cleaning services with regular access to the answering service’s physical premises or computer systems. Precautions include keeping software and systems that store patient data up to date and secure from unauthorized personnel. Another indicator and requirement of HIPAA compliance for answering services is that frequent risk assessments are conducted and contingency plans are placed to correct and avoid potential breaches.
What’s in the Business Associate Agreement?
A business associate agreement (BAA) between two entities outlines what PHI the answering service will have access to. PHI stands for Protected Health Information. The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients a range of rights concerning that information. It details how the information will be shared and communicated between the two parties, and how private data will be returned or destroyed after a contract is completed. A HIPAA BAA also spells out what plans are in place to ensure the answering service has an ongoing commitment to HIPAA compliance and how potential violations are prevented and handled. This ensures all parties are on the same page.
How is Personal Health Information (PHI) Transmitted?
Just as important as how PHI is stored is how it’s transmitted. Health information has migrated onto software platforms, making it easier to share information between medical professionals and patients. However, this technological advancement has opened up new ways for unauthorized users to gain access to private information. A key factor in how patient information is properly safeguarded is how messaging is used to share PHI between parties. Previous communication methods such as traditional pagers, Alpha Page, or sending unencrypted emails and texts are no longer sufficient. These ways of relaying information have opened doors to potential breaches that can cost your business or practice fines and restitution.
An example of a secure messaging system is when Responsive Answering Services uses MiSecure, a secure 2-way smartphone and tablet messaging system that relays patient information to providers accurately and securely. MiSecure is a secured app that downloads to your already existing device to provide quick HIPAA-compliant messaging on one device. All messages are encrypted and are not stored on your phone or tablet. So, when you consider hiring an answering service, you need to check not only the pricing, availability and features, but also all aspects of HIPAA compliance. The right answering service partner can make a world of difference in your medical practice: your patients will receive prompt and professional responses, your staff will have more time for other tasks such as face-to-face interactions with patients, and you will stop missing out on important calls and new patients. The wrong answering service partner could create serious issues not only in your call flow and patient care, but in your legal liability and commitment to HIPAA and patient privacy. Aways check whether the answering service you plan to hire is fully HIPAA compliant. It will be a win-win-win, for you, your staff, and your patients.