How Can Better Healthcare Technology Make Patient Communication More Secure?

Healthcare communication has become even more efficient but that does not necessarily make it safer. Sending an appointment reminder takes only seconds but the security of that communication still needs to be taken into account. That is where the issue of HIPAA compliant text messaging enters into the discussion. Medical practices require new mechanisms for talking to patients without allowing regular texting to be accepted as an automatic solution for protected health information. 

Patients want a quick message of reminder, confirmation, follow-up, or office update. Employees want the same because phone tag is so frustrating. Healthcare entities are also entrusted with duty of privacy. Finding a new communications solution that is quick and easy for consumers as well as providing treatment organizations with reasonable protections of sensitive data remains the focus. This is not about requiring each text to be time-consuming. It is about designing a system of communication that is effective and respectful of privacy and security concerns.

Why Secure Texting Matters More Than Ever in Healthcare

People are experts at texting. They text their family, their coworkers, banks, UPS, FedEx, schools-just about everyone. So when an office says, “please hold for our call,” it may seem a little old fashioned. But medical information is another matter altogether. A text message about an upcoming appointment is one thing. A message about a diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or other protected information is another altogether.

Security Considerations for Healthcare Messaging

It is also vital for healthcare professionals to consider where a message might be sent to, how the message might be stored, who has access to it and what may happen should a device be lost or stolen. Using a standard messaging facility on a phone by no means renders the communication suitable for clinical information.

Any secure messaging method should be incorporated into a larger program of privacy and security protection; these practices should have the right administrative, physical, and technical protections in place, and employees should be trained on what is appropriate to send, to whom, and how to handle a request for PHS by way of text message.

The practical goal is also fairly straightforward: balance efficiency with frugality. Patients shouldn‘t have to decide between staying in touch with their provider and maintaining privacy every time they need to reach out.

Everyday Communications

Everyday Communications. When patients wish to communicate with their healthcare team between office visits and have a concern that they would normally call about, they can now log into a secured portal to send a message. They can inquire about necessary test result follow-up, medication instructions, referral requests, or appointment scheduling.

Probably the greatest advantage is not small but simple fewer missed connections.

Contemplate a patient with an upcoming appointment on Tuesday. The office calls to remind. The patient agrees. That‘s it. No one is placed on hold, no one receives three unanswered messages, the front desk doesn‘t have to track anyone down the next morning.

This concept applies even more to other recurring communications. Offices could send instructions beforehand, inform a patient of a modification in the schedule, or if a provider is running late. By providing these types of communication via the right secure communication system, offices have a opportunity to improve the patient experience.

Another advantage that is easy to forget is the documentation. If the right system is used, a comprehensive record of communications can be maintained within a controlled system instead of being scattered across dozens of personal cellphones and inboxes. That allows staff to understand quickly what was said and when.

Certainly, texting isn‘t all you need. Some complex question about your health is likely to need a telephone call, a telehealth consultation, or an E&M visit. Secure messaging is just another form of communication. A helpful one if used properly.

What part does medical scheduling technology take?

Communication and scheduling are two things that are very tightly connected. The patient doesn‘t really think of them as separate entities. The patient thinks, “I need an appointment,” and then they think the healthcare office is supposed to help them do that without makes things more painful.

This is where scheduling software becomes invaluable. Scheduling tools enable practices to create efficient schedules, coordinate the availability of all providers and resources, decrease scheduling errors, and offer patients more accessible methods to request or confirm appointments.

Connecting Communication and Scheduling

When time and communication tools work effectively in conjunction, the system becomes even more powerful. A patient, for example, could be sent an appointment reminder through a secure messaging portal, respond with confirmation, and have that response be integrated into the scheduling workflow. Staff members would not have to toggle between multiple isolated systems just to determine if someone confirmed.

Sounds like just a tiny improvement. Doesn‘t sound like one when you have hundreds or thousands of appointments.

Of course, no shows can be mitigated with scheduling technology as well. Reminders aren‘t a panacea, but people who are reminded are better able to remember appointments or to be responsible enough to call the office.

The key is integration. A scheduling system shouldn‘t be yet another standalone database that the staff has to watch over. It should integrate naturally into the flow of the practice.

Better Scheduling Means Less Administrative Friction

Healthcare workers spend a lot of their paid hours doing work that patients never ever see. Calling patients. Rescheduling visits. Checking on willingnessto be seen. Reflecting the same questions. Re-tweaking their calendars.

Good technology takes away some of that repetitiveness. It doesn‘t take away the people. It just puts the people somewhere where they have more time for something that actually requires a human.

And honestly, that does make a difference. If the receptionist is not overwhelmed with reminder calls from an administrator, he or she has more time to attend to the patients in front of him or her.

What Should the Practice Do Regarding Patient Confidentiality?

Technology would not be able to fix a bad process. An organization can buy a secure communication platform but still generate privacy issues if the employees are not using it properly.

Staff Training and Privacy

Staff training is a significant factor as well, staff should be aware of messaging policies within the organization and what is acceptable information-wise in each channel. They should also be aware how to identify the patient when necessary and how to respond to a patient emailing them sensitive material in the wrong forum.

Access Controls

Access controls are also important. Do all employees have access to all conversations or all records? (They shouldn‘t.) Healthcare organizations should employ advanced permissions such that the information is available to those who need it for their work, but not to just anyone with a login.

Device Protection

There is also a concern with devices. If employees are given the ability to reach out to patients via mobile devices, the devices need an appropriate level of protection. Passwords, authentication, remote management, encryption, and others are all valuable depending on the environment.

Message Retention

And then there is retention. How long do messages need to be available? Where are they stored? Are they auditable? Can usage be monitored? These may not be the most thrilling of questions, but they are the sort that matter when a practice wants to establish a reliable method of communication.

Privacy must not be considered an afterthought of IS use. It has to be taken into account from the initial considerations.

Yes, and I think the reason is rather simple. People want communications that can be incorporated into their lives.

They could be working when the practice phones. They could not hear the voice message. They might forget to look at an email message. Good messaging facilities offer yet another chance to communicate with the practice without being in the same room as their phone.

However, that also conveniently can make practice feel more responsive.

Imagine receiving a very simple reminder of an appointment, rather than trying to recall a specific date from a conversation two weeks ago. Or being told when an appointment has been rescheduled. They seem trivial, but healthcare is full of trivialities.

But there‘s a balance. More messages are not necessarily better. Neither does anyone wish to receive five reminders from a doctor for one appointment. Finally, communication should be appropriate, timely and relevant.

Practices should also be transparent about what they expect. If the messaging system is not checked constantly, this needs to be made clear to patients. A low maintenance messaging system should not inadvertently be used as an emergency service.

That distinction is critical. Secure communication enables the health and social care system. It does not, by itself, replace the expert judgment of the clinical professional, or emergency intervention by the emergency services.

What Should Practices Seek in a Messaging System for their Healthcare Organization?

Instead of whether the platform can do it, the question should be whether it should do it. Many media can do text message. But the more difficult question is whether it should.

Privacy and Security Requirements

Remainder of a practice relating to how it manages--confidential information--authentication of users--permissions--protection of data--storage of messages--and auditing. It also should take into account the extent to which the platform can be easily integrated with existing clinical and administrative systems.

Usability

Usability is also critical. If your employees require a 40 page manual to, say, send a simple reminder, then it is unlikely that they will adopt the technology readily. Having the world‘s best technology is not going to help if you cannot get your workers to use it.

People also require simplicity. There‘s no need for a patronising lecture with every transaction. Why should it be so difficult for a patient to order a prescription?

Integration With Scheduling Software

Integration with medical scheduling software can be advantageous. If communication and scheduling information can be transferred through interoperable workflows, practice staff may spend less time manually re-entering the same data.

Reliability

Reliability. A healthcare practice cannot afford a multi-user communication system that works perfectly on Tuesday and then suddenly vanishes into thin air by Thursday.

Vendor Research

Lastly, practices should research the vendors. Find out what they mean in contract by their responsibility? What do they say about privacy? Security practices? How does the technology treat healthcare data? A vendor‘s sales page is not sufficient. Ask questions. Request documentation. Have a privacy or compliance person at the practice involved.

Why Healthcare Communication Needs Both Convenience and Discipline

Healthcare has spent years transitioning to digital means of communication, yet we are still tempted to see convenience and compliance as at odds with one another. They need not be.

A method can facilitate communication but still be sensitive to privacy issues. In fact, a well-designed system can be more facilitating to responsible communication by providing staff with a defined way to do so instead of allowing them to try to come up with one.

I do think that consistency is a good thing.

A process has not been identified and one employee may use email, another the company’s personal phone, and someone else may offer to leave a message in a voicemail. All of a sudden a company has numerous different communication habits and very little with which to be consistent.

One Place for Communication

One way to reduce all that confusion is to use one place. The staff know where the message belongs. The patient knows how to call the office. The administration has a better view of everything.

This is also the realm in which care technology should keep its feet on the ground. There‘s no IT system that guarantees absolute protection. No software that gets rid of the risk of failure entirely. No human error that can be avoided. No procedure that need not be reviewed and revised.

And good technology can take away the unnecessary risk and make the patient experience better. And that‘s a trade that is worth it.

The Human Side Still Matters

It is not as hard as you think to get lost in the details of software features and forget why we‘re here to begin with. There is someone else on the other side of that message.

Or maybe they are concerned about a test. Maybe they are trying to figure out how to change their test around work. Or maybe they just didn‘t realize where they were supposed to go.

A safe, clear, and timely message can make the healthcare experience just a little less frustrating. That is sometimes the point.

How Can Practices Build the Smarter Flow of Communication?

The first step shouldn‘t generally be to buy software. The first step is therefore to look at your current context.

Identify Communication Bottlenecks

What are the bottlenecks? Where is the time or effort being lost that causes delays and inefficiencies? Are patients not scheduling appointments easily? Does it take a long time for staff to make reminder phone calls? Do employees have trouble reporting schedule changes? Do they prefer to use a private message service to the existing system?

Those responses indicate a practice where technology may actually be beneficial.

Map the Communication Flow

At this point, the organization can begin to map out the flow of communication. Requests for appointments, confirmations, reminders, cancellations, rescheduling and the like may each have subtle differences.

The practice can then choose what kinds of communication are right for each. Not every message requires the same style, not every discussion belongs in an e-mail chain.

Training and Implementation

Training not after launch, 3 months afterwards when everyone has devised his own workaround. Everyone should be familiar with the workflow, privacy expectations, escalation procedures, and how to fix the most common errors.

The system needs to be reviewed regularly as well. The way healthcare is practiced will change. Staff will change. Workflows will change. Technology will be upgraded. Patient attitudes will change.

A communication strategy that was perfect a few years ago could be considered to be too slow now.

The goal is not to give the impression that the practice is high-tech. No one cares about that. The goal is to make communication safer, easier and more usable.

Conclusion: Secure Communication Is Becoming Part of Better Patient Care

Responsible Healthcare Communication doesnt have to be difficult. HIPAA compliant text messaging may provide the practice with a cost-effective means of communication and taking the subject of confidentiality and security into account. Combining this with a trusted medical scheduling program can produce a much more efficient way of working for everyone.

What really counts is how you use the technology. Safeguards, smart policies, staff training, access restrictions and reasonable patient expectations they‘re all important. Having only one of them is not enough.

Patients desire convenience but at the same time want healthcare organizations to secure their information. While practices need efficiency, they cannot afford careless attitudes towards sensitive data. Both can be achieved.

And perhaps that is the bigger lesson, medical scheduling software doesn‘t have to be it merely has to work, and not cause any additional problems. If a secure messaging system can allow a patient to verify an appointment within seconds, help avoid a missed appointment, and frees staff from doing repetitive tasks, that is already a valuable feat.

FAQs

Is texting that is in compliance with the HIPAA regulations secure in relation to providing health care?

It can be, when the messaging technology and its integration into the organization’s processes are developed to address relevant HIPAA protections. The organization should review the vendor agreements, access controls, security safeguards, and employee practices rather than assuming a text messaging application will work.

Is it feasible for medical scheduling software to automatically notify patients?

Most systems have some type of alert/confirmation functions through standard solutions or integrated workflows. This is highly dependent on the type of practices and the system of choice. Practices should verify that the scheduling platform works with their chosen secure messaging applications and provides that particular service.

Is There a way forpatients respondto secure healthcare text messages?

Some messaging platforms may support selecting recipients and receiving responses from the recipients. Two-way messaging may be appropriate for appointment reminders and simple administrative questions, if set up correctly.

Does sending a regular SMS meet HIPAA requirements?

No. If you mean the following by standard consumer texting that is, texting through the medium of a wireless cell phone (rather than a computer) using the standard consumer‘s texting device and plan then this standard consumer texting should not be deemed appropriate for the transmission of protected health information.