In Business World The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed to protect patients’ sensitive information. It stipulates that healthcare facilities and their business associates must take precautions to protect data not just when it’s at rest on their servers but also when it’s in transit, which requires working with a HIPAA-compliant fax service provider.
What to Look For
There are a lot of online fax services out there, but most don’t make accommodations for healthcare customers who want to send faxes that comply with HIPAA, so the first thing to look for is a guarantee that the company takes appropriate steps to protect customer data. The company should be willing to sign a business associate contract and provide proof of the steps it takes to comply with relevant HIPAA regulations.
Unfortunately, just having a business associate contract in place won’t guarantee that healthcare facilities or practitioners won’t be held liable for violations. That’s why it’s important to perform due diligence when selecting service provider. Before signing up, make sure the company has worked with other healthcare brands, ask about access and authentication controls, and check that the service uses end-to-end encryption.
Top HIPAA-Compliant Online Fax Providers for 2022
For many healthcare administrators, the hardest part of finding the right online fax service provider is figuring out where to get started. There are dozens of providers that have experience working with other healthcare facilities and providing adequate data protection, but that doesn’t mean they’re all created equal. Administrators tasked with finding a reputable and reliable online fax service may want to start the search by reaching out to one or more of the top HIPAA-compliant providers below.
1. mFax
As one of the leading service providers in the field, mFax offers strict data protection and security protocols. The provider will sign a business associate contract with customers that take out paid subscriptions, and the subscription model used by the company is surprisingly affordable compared to some. Most importantly, mFax takes multiple measures to guarantee not just data security but also regulatory compliance, including at-rest and end-to-end data encryption, dual-factor authentication, and providing audit trails.
2. Faxage
Faxage is another option for healthcare facilities that need a secure way to transmit protected health information. The company will sign a business associate contract and uses either SSL or PGP encryption. It also offers affordable packages for individuals and small businesses, then scales up services for larger companies that need to send a greater volume of faxes.
3. Concord
Concord has been providing customers with cloud faxing services for years and uses an enterprise-grade, high-volume fax network to accommodate larger organizations. The company’s prices are a bit higher than most, but that is in part because it is poised to switch focus over to using artificial intelligence to facilitate data extraction from documents for better management of communications. Customers who feel that potential future service may be worth the extra money now can learn about it online.
Making the Right Choice
The choice of which HIPAA-compliant fax service to use can make or break a healthcare facility’s reputation. Choose the right one, and patients’ protected health information will always be in good hands, leaving administrators free to worry about other matters. Choose the wrong one, and it could lead to data breaches, reputational damage, and significant fines. It’s worth taking the time to research options and make the right choice.