Staying HIPAA Compliant with Your Phone System

Finding the right balance between using a professional phone system in your practice and remaining HIPAA complaint can sometimes be difficult.

Having a phone system to take calls in your office is both professional and efficient, however, there are problems that may arise due to privacy issues. Since the passing of HIPAA in 1996, there is an official law that counteracts any breach of privacy or speaking of a patient’s health.

The reason there is cause for concern in terms of remaining compliant, is the fact that a patient will leave a voicemail, many times describing symptoms or discussing other aspects of their overall health. These voice mails are considered highly confidential and need to be treated with the right type of care. That’s where a HIPAA compliant voicemail comes in.

Benefits of a HIPAA Compliant Voice mail Include:

• Courteous and Professional- Aside from staying compliant, an automated voicemail system will give your practice a professional sound and feel to anyone calling in. The last thing a health care provider wants is to look unprofessional to current or future patients.

• Avoid Costly Penalties and Fines- By ensuring that you’re remaining compliant, you will be avoiding any costly penalties or fines associated with breaking the rules. The correct voicemail system will do just that and take the worry out of remaining compliant.

• Advanced Forwarding Options- Once you have a voice mail in the system, there are plenty of ways to gain access to it. You have the ability to call to retrieve your voicemail, or in other cases, you have the ability to forward a sound file directly to your email address.

Having a professional phone system in place will change the way your practice conducts business. Not only are you working to become compliant, you’re also presenting yourself in a professional manner.

For more information, contact us today!