Reasons Why You Should Opt For a HIPAA-Compliant Medical Answering Service
Your patients have many options when it comes to choosing a physician and you have just one option to ensure patient retention. Patient retention typically depends on patient satisfaction and that is why, today’s medical practice is more client-centric and is based on the deployment of innovative services that aim to enhance the doctor-patient interaction experience. A medical answering service keeps your patients satisfied by incorporating a personal touch to the communication and by providing your patients with all necessary information in a timely manner. Hiring a trained professional to respond to your patients’ enquiries 24/7 is a great idea, but you need to ensure that your answering service is HIPAA-compliant and has the capability to safeguard your patients’ data and your reputation as well.
So what is HIPAA and what does HIPAA compliance refer to? HIPAA is the abbreviated form of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and it was legislated to safeguard the privacy of individuals’ health information. HIPAA violations occur when you store your patients’ data in unencrypted form, when your employee commits error in data entry and storage, when you store data in unsecured devices such as laptops or smartphones, or when there’s a lapse in notification of a data breach. Whether a data breach incident occurs through your conscious effort or through mere carelessness or negligence, HIPAA violations may invite serious consequences for you in terms of heavy penalties and even jail time. This explains why you should conduct thorough research so as to get access to a HIPAA-compliant answering service.
When you engage a HIPAA-compliant medical answering service, you can relax knowing that your patients’ sensitive information is managed by qualified professionals who have adequate knowledge about HIPAA-compliance. This will allow your doctors, nurses, and staff to focus on key medical tasks and spend more time with your patients.
There are several medical communications companies that offer customized services. Whether you are looking for a personalized web portal or you want to consolidate your communication systems, a HIPAA-compliant medical answering service can provide you with the best experience while ensuring that all communications between you and your patients take place in a secured IT environment. This will not only boost your image in the medical service industry, but will also provide an assurance to your patients who will most likely feel more confident to consult you.