We at RingRx, makers of the premier HIPAA compliant patient communication system for doctors, have put together a quick checklist for you to help keep your practice HIPAA healthy while you manage more efficiently and grow and be more secure in 2017.

A Little HIPAA Primer

Changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) affect everything from how you secure your patients’ protected health information to the contracts you sign with vendors to what you need to tell patients about their privacy rights. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which developed the regulations, says the updates are needed to account for the widespread use of electronic health records and other changes in health information technology that have occurred since HIPAA was enacted in 1996.

Compliance with the updated regulations requires you to do the following:

  • conduct a risk analysis to determine the vulnerability of electronically protected health information (PHI) to loss or theft, and document that they have done so;
  • encrypt patient PHI so that it can’t be used if it’s lost or stolen;
  • review policies and procedures for what do if PHI is lost, stolen, or inappropriately disclosed;
  • review contracts with vendors and other “business associates” that have access to PHI to ensure that the vendors have proper safeguards in place to secure patient PHI.

RingRx can help. We develop the HIPAA compliant technology for your patient communications–on the phone in the office, via mobile when you’re out and about and even with your calendaring system.  RingRx has the proper safeguards in place to secure patient PHI with its cost-effective phone system, designed for doctors, therapists, healthcare professionals, and social workers.

Doctors and office managers report they are seeing significant cost-savings as well. Up to 60 percent savings on their phone systems with unfailing accuracy.

But don’t forget to do this or put it off because HIPAA compliance is a vital key to peace of mind for you, your staff and your patients. Remember the beautiful story of the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry?  I think of this quote often as we build our products: “People have forgotten this truth,” the fox said. “But you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose.”

RingRx is helping to tame HIPAA compliance for you with your patient communications and your phone system, mobile device and calendaring systems. Plus we have a simpler, better way to help you connect sensitive patient data and phi on the phone with electronic medical records. With RingRx, HIPAA compliance on the phone is that simple.

To get your practice up to speed for HIPAA this year, experts say, conduct a thorough evaluation of your practice operations to make certain you remain in compliance for data security, privacy, and reporting of breaches.

More information about the updated HIPAA regulations is available at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Administrative-Simplification/HIPAA-ACA/index.html

I’ll get ready to close this Little Primer with another great quote from the Little Prince as I think about the regulatory challenges you manage as you practice in the science and healing arts: “Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.” May you transform and grow your practice and reach your goals this year.

I’d enjoy a conversation with you. I can help you learn more about RingRx Free Trial and customizing it specifically for your offices. We’ve been building phone system and conducting live after-hours answering services for more than 30 years. We can help simplify your patient communications, save you money on your phone system, increase efficiency and practice management and new this year…grow your business with messaging and more.  Contact me, Tina @treyes@ringrx.com or call me at 1-888-980-6860