HIPAA compliant chat: Why is it used?

Remote Healthcare processes have become mainstream services, after its effectiveness was proved during the covid pandemic. Hence, practitioners and patients are using several types of apps, messaging platforms and chat apps to communicate openly, and risking patient information. Thus, the healthcare regulator in the United States – the HIPAA- has set up guidelines that chat providers and platforms have to protect sensitive private information of patients – called privacy rule and security rule – in order to be compliant.

Using HIPAA-Compliant chat ensures open and comfortable communication on popular chat apps used for telemedicine.

In this article we provide an overview of HIPAA chat api and which type of apps must comply and why.

When is it necessary to be HIPAA compliant chat?

 You can conduct a short test to find out if your business needs to be HIPAA compliant chat by asking these questions:

1.     Does your telemedicine app allow sensitive conversations between patients, doctors and caregivers?
2.     Do these conversations use private and specific information?

 If your business does use both of the above, then HIPAA compliant chat is mandatory for your app or website.

HIPAA compliant chat: how will your business benefit from it?

If you are a telemedicine business then there are hidden benefits by being HIPAA compliant chat. Apart from developing Secure Data practices the processes involved in compliance software and practices of the professionals will lead to unseen advantages of modern messaging for remote Healthcare.  

Advantages of HIPAA Compliance chat for Doctors and Healthcare Providers in 2022

At an intrinsic level, HIPAA compliant chat will eliminate barriers of communication and encourage free and open communication between patients and doctor. 

How can doctors and healthcare providers benefit from HIPAA compliance chat

• Coordination is Optimized 

When the Primary Health Institute chooses remote or eservices, the entire care team which includes specialists, physicians will have to coordinate using chat.

The instant response and secure access to specialty advice, helps doctors in accurate and quicker diagnosis. 

• Increasing the efficiency of staffing 

There will be fewer instances of late arrivals or no shows of patients. It also allows scheduling and accessing patients in real time by minimizing the wait time and the uncertainty that patients would otherwise experience. Importantly, save resources without compromising on the quality of the care.

• Send reminders

When a live chat is HIPAA compliant it encourages follow up care. Thus doctors are able to provide further direction and prescription of treatment. It also aids in developing warm bonds between medical professionals and their patients while allowing patients to derive highest satisfaction and treatment. 

How can patients benefit from HIPAA compliance chat?

Patients can benefit in three ways:

• Expanding the remote care options 

Compliance ensures that the core real time telemedicine apps will allow patients to escalate consultation for voice and video and receive immediate recommendations for care. 

• Improved patient communication

Compliance bridges the gap in communication when examination is held and actionable advice is to be delivered. 

• Improved patient engagement 

Patients will be able to use a single application for all their requirements such as care or consultations and EHR. Therefore they are able to participate in their own health review and gain the complete picture of their treatment.

Building HIPAA compliant chat: Best practices

To ensure that a chat is compliant with HIPAA rules, three dimensions have to be satisfied – namely the technical administrative and physical safeguards. By following these guidelines all chats on the app are regularly checked for security aspects and any form of data tampering is controlled. 

To deliver the experience of a standard chat app for the healthcare industry – two priorities  need to be met. They are satisfying the core security requirements of HIPAA and ensuring accessibility to patients by providing support for ongoing development and quality communications. 

Technical safeguards: First priority 

1. Enforce Encryption

All data exchange has to be transmitted after encryption. This improves data protection and privacy as only the sender and receiver will be able to read and message. 

2. Secure and accurate transmission

Messages should not be tampered with, especially on a Healthcare app. Because the content would be life saving advice or specific care instructions, it should not be accessed by unauthorized third parties or be altered by other members of the healthcare organization. 

3. Access controls

It should include access controls and secure logins so that patients can use password protection to provide the information. Two factor authentication methods provide extra security levels.

4. Capped sign out

In a working environment access to unlock devices and reviews of previous charts is possible when the sign out time is not kept.

5. Audit control

Using the technical safeguard free chat apps can be disqualified and be able to provide for audit Communications or administrators to check patient access and activity.   

Replace regular texting with HIPAA compliant alternative: Second Priority  

When native SMS texting or a standard instant messaging app is used, there are multiple liabilities. These are as follows: 

• Typically encryption is limited
• Exposure to different type of risks is high
• There is no account ability 
• Guarantee of authorization is not provided
• Security controls are typically Limited
• Security solutions for complaints

Use secure HIPAA compliant solution for live chat

When a conversation is held within the app it is called as live chat or in app Chat. This can be a secure and extensible alternative to different types only if a secure aspect is included. 

Remote chat in a HIPAA complaint live chat scenario shows that the remote care providers are able to provide control over the data that is exchanged. It is a secure alternative to instant messaging and emailing. The expanded features of a modern chat include – patient presence, notifications, voice and video which deliver quality care.  

Choosing a HIPAA compliant messaging solution

HIPAA chat complaint messaging solution should have:

• Open and honest communication channel
• Highest communication experience
• Ensure quality and accessibility
• Provide full control over the flow and storing of sensitive information.

Use SDKs   

Software Development Kits provides the necessary inputs that make a compliant chat feature on every type of device. 

Deploy full-range of security features  

Security features should include the following: 

• Encrypted messaging 
• Access management 
• Timing out patience 

Integrate crucial services

Considering the critical services which telemedicine apps provide, it is important a wide range of technology and tools are included. The provider should support any number of integrations such as voice and video integrations. These solutions will bridge Artificial Intelligence services to translate medical terms and give tools for cognitive use of telemedicine solutions.

Conclusion  

Compliance makes sure that messaging apps have used the necessary security protection methods for patient information. At the same time, complaint messaging solutions address many technical hurdles and make it easy to include chat features in any Healthcare app. We are here to help you. Reach us here!