Communications in Healthcare: Best Practices

The healthcare industry is moving towards omni-channel customer experiences, with a focus on convenience for patients and improved outcomes for payers. However, maintaining patient privacy and adhering to rules governing protected health information (PHI) presents challenges. HIPAA, the HITECH Act, and various HHS regulations protect PHI and regulate how covered entities and business associates use or disclose it. By outlining specific options for communication, healthcare providers can improve health outcomes and save money while maintaining patient privacy. The HIPAA Conduit Exception Rule allows certain types of vendors to conduct business with covered entities without a business associate agreement. Healthcare systems should choose experienced providers to navigate communications technology in healthcare while adhering to HIPAA regulations.