This content was created in partnership with iPlum.
In today’s data-driven world, healthcare professionals need a secure and reliable way to communicate with their clients — and just as importantly, a way that is HIPAA compliant. With the need to protect patient data, HIPAA requires that all electronic communications containing protected health information be secure, encrypted and properly documented. That’s where iPlum comes in, offering secure, HIPAA-compliant patient-physician communications. Yes, as a family doctor this means you can easily communicate with your patients and check on their well-being. Right now, you can save 25% when you sign up for an annual plan.
“Hi Richard, we look forward to seeing you today at Dr.’s colonoscopy clinic. Ford!”
Imagine a text message like this, meant for you, going to the wrong number, or being intercepted by someone in your life, perhaps a colleague. It’s not just an embarrassing occurrence, but it could actually be a serious violation of federal regulations — put in place to protect you from just this kind of thing. That’s exactly why or rather compatible communications are so important.
The iPlum platform is a secure messaging and calling service that offers healthcare professionals a way to communicate with their clients in a HIPAA compliant manner. Patients and healthcare advocates can communicate, safely and securely, whether it’s to confirm or set up an appointment, share personal health information, or even just check in with each other. You may be surprised to learn that one of the main ways HIPAA regulations are violated is because when sensitive information exchanges hands, identities are not verified. Proof of identity is essential when sharing highly sensitive health information, as you never know who is on the other end of these digital communications. These measures prevent relevant data — which could be harmful in some cases — from falling into the wrong hands. Imagine if your diagnosis was shared with neighbors, colleagues or strangers.
iPlum provides safeguards against unauthorized access by using authentication checks, locking down relevant data and information, and establishing strong controls for reporting and auditing. It works like this. You’re issued a second number that acts like an extra wireless line connected to your existing mobile number, and then use iPlum as a separate, dedicated interface (complete with unique ringtones and custom alerts) for encrypted messages and calls with your healthcare professionals — it’s the other way around for doctors who communicate with clients and/or patients. With end-to-end encryption, all communication between the parties involved is protected, from the moment the message is sent to the moment it is received. This ensures that even if a message is intercepted, the sensitive information contained within is fully protected, essentially encrypted behind this encryption.
You can also use iPlum to record calls and create voicemail transcripts. This makes it easy to keep records of important messages and calls, including the date, time and content of each one. This information may be used to demonstrate HIPAA compliance, if required, and may also be used for auditing purposes. Most importantly, it’s secure, encrypted and unavailable for access to a vulnerable server or system – pesky hackers can’t capture it and use it against you. The protocols require the same security and encryption.
As HIPAA compliance also requires, iPlum team accounts enable and support multiple professionals, but more importantly, companies can manage and protect all healthcare workers from this centralized platform. In addition to strict controls, this meets HIPAA filing requirements.
iPlum Phone Tree, a mobile cloud system, offers an auto attendant, with exclusive extensions and is easy to set up. Incoming callers are always greeted appropriately and transferred to the correct extension without having to interact with an operator or receptionist. There is no extra cost, even though it is a basic requirement for modern health care practices.
Finally, and just as importantly, iPlum is intuitive and user-friendly. It is available for iOS and Android mobile devices and can be used on desktop and laptop computers, including Chromebooks. This makes it easy for healthcare professionals to communicate with clients, whether they are in the office or on the go, without having to spend valuable time learning the ins and outs of complex software. No one needs to invest in dedicated or proprietary hardware because it’s accessible on devices everyone already owns.
Patients rarely see the administrative side of HIPAA violations, but did you know that civil violations can garner up to $50,000 in fines per violation? Meanwhile, willful neglect, meaning someone knowingly violates HIPAA, without timely correction can result in a fine of up to $1.5 million. It’s serious business, so ensuring communications are properly protected is in everyone’s best interest – not just the patient’s!
Overall, iPlum is a secure, reliable and easy-to-use platform for healthcare professionals to communicate with clients in a HIPAA-compliant manner — enabling true HIPAA texting and communications. With end-to-end message encryption, secure calls and voicemail, and a sleek, user-friendly interface, iPlum is the perfect solution for healthcare organizations that need to protect their customers’ sensitive information while communicating effectively. HIPAA compliant monthly and annual plans with dedicated phone numbers are available. Annual plans are currently 25% off, making them the more tempting option over monthly plans.
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