HIPAA - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Patient privacy concerns as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are a hot topic in the medical field.  Federal policy imposes restrictions on the sort of information that can be exchanged through various mechanisms, including e-mail.  Furthermore, civil monetary penalties can be imposed for violation of the rules. 

In general, HIPAA stipulates that medical records are confidential and must be transported via secure channels.  Conventional e-mail, for example, is considered a public channel and hence is not secure.  As one approach, encryption can be used to transmit information securely over a public channel.  Other solutions may be applicable to your needs.

No one involved in the medical field can afford to take this issue lightly.  Physician’s Answering Service researches the topic extensively and follows the latest industry updates.  As with any recently-enacted regulations, the precise implications are still being sorted out.  Our expertise can help you comply.