Nov 22
2022
HIPAA-Compliant Uses of SMS Messaging
Shannon Flynn is a freelance blogger who covers training technologies, cybersecurity and IoT subjects. You can observe Shannon on Muck Rack or Medium to browse extra of her articles or blog posts.
HIPAA-compliant works by using of SMS messaging may not be as popular as folks assume. HIPAA rules include things like rigorous rules on how wellbeing treatment providers can use text and messaging. Some makes use of are correctly wonderful, whilst other people require safeguards to defend affected person knowledge on all fronts.
Here’s a glance at HIPAA-compliant SMS messaging and an overview of the guidelines messaging and health care suppliers need to know about.
HIPAA-Compliant SMS Messaging
SMS messaging is a remarkably helpful sort of communication, but it can be a little bit sophisticated in health treatment. The Health Insurance policies Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, is a established of guidelines and rules created to shield patients’ info and personalized facts, which includes via text messaging.
HIPAA polices do not prohibit the use of SMS messaging. Having said that, overall health treatment providers will have to adhere to the policies to make sure compliance.
These laws rule out conventional textual content messaging for interaction about patient health facts (PHI). There are some HIPAA-compliant makes use of of SMS messaging that any wellbeing treatment provider can use, even though.
1. Announcements and Methods
Typical announcements and wellbeing assets are Alright to mail clients in excess of text, just as long as they really don’t include any PHI. For case in point, a clinic could textual content sufferers an announcement about an forthcoming flu shot clinic. Likewise, companies could use SMS messaging to deliver sources on existing wellness worries, this kind of as signs or symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant.
2. Promotions for New Providers
Overall health treatment companies can also use standard SMS messaging to mail clients announcements and promotions about new products and services they offer. For illustration, a area hospital could notify people about most cancers screening expert services or a mental wellness assistance group.
There are numerous rewards to using SMS messaging for overall health care advertising and marketing, such as improved interaction and larger comfort for individuals and providers alike. As lengthy as these messages really do not have PHI, they are a great way to continue to keep folks in the loop about all the providers they can obtain.
3. Workers Notifications and Bulletins
Healthcare companies can also use standard SMS messaging for internal communications. HIPAA laws call for safeguards on how staff members communicates about PHI, but texting can be used for extra general team notifications. For instance, an urgent care facility could use messaging to mail out textual content alerts about a improve in vacation hours or reminders about workplace activities.
Tips for HIPAA-Compliant SMS Messaging
The scenarios earlier mentioned are a number of of the constrained HIPAA-compliant employs of regular text messaging. Texting can’t be applied to converse with individuals about their care or PHI for the reason that regular SMS messaging is not compliant. If health care providers want to use some variety of SMS messaging to connect with their patients, there are a handful of factors they want to know.
SMS messaging to converse with sufferers can be convenient and powerful for everyone included. Even so, HIPAA restrictions involve wellness treatment companies to make sure they get the necessary ways to secure patients’ details about this variety of conversation. Typical text messaging is not HIPAA compliant due to the fact it is not secure — mobile phone companies can access users’ text messages, perhaps compromising delicate PHI.
HIPAA SMS Messaging Guidelines Overview
Overall health care companies utilizing SMS messaging ought to use a HIPAA-compliant system. Suggestions specify that SMS messages should be frequently encrypted, from sending to transmitting to acquiring. There should be no prospect for a information to be intercepted and considered by unauthorized get-togethers.
Also, the SMS system will have to also deliver a way for any PHI information to be remotely deleted if a device is lost or stolen. For instance, if a health care provider loses their cell phone, any PHI on the HIPAA-compliant messaging platform ought to be remotely taken off so the thief are not able to accessibility it.
Health and fitness care vendors will have to also make sure they have productive entry command for their SMS messaging system. Unauthorized staff and contractors should really not be capable to use the platform to watch, download or if not help you save any PHI from SMS messages.
Choosing an SMS Messaging Provider
Overall health care vendors really should prioritize encryption and facts security when selecting an SMS messaging system. One particular that involves cell apps for Apple and Android phones will be the most successful for replicating the benefits of texting in a HIPAA-compliant way.
Also, healthcare companies must be certain SMS messaging platform developers comprehend they cannot obtain, help save or obtain affected person knowledge and messages to keep HIPAA compliance.
HIPAA-Compliant SMS Messaging
SMS messaging is a single of the most handy and effective methods to remain in touch with patients. Even so, wellbeing treatment companies will have to guard people’s privateness all through these communications.
HIPAA-compliant utilizes of SMS messaging are limited, but suppliers can use secure platforms to acquire the identical rewards. This tends to make individual conversation straightforward and protected at the similar time.
