HIPAA-Compliant Phone Services for Healthcare

As virtual appointments and electronic health records (EHRs) are growing in popularity, so too is the demand for secure communication in healthcare. It is more important than ever for businesses in the healthcare sector to maintain Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, including with voice platforms. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems are flexible solutions that offer rich mobility features for the healthcare industry.

VoIP systems are cost-effective and sync with laptops, tablets, smartphones, applications, and legacy phone systems. They allow healthcare providers to reach their patients in a multitude of ways, including SMS, video conferencing, and phone calls. However, to comply with the stringent regulations required by HIPAA, they must be secure.

HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems help healthcare organizations stay connected while ensuring patient data is protected. Intermedia is a leading provider of intelligent cloud communications solutions that help businesses across industries connect better. Our HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems enable doctors’ offices, dental offices, and hospitals to collaborate and communicate while protecting sensitive patient information. Here, we talk about HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems, their functionality, and benefits, and how to choose a provider.

What Is HIPAA-Compliant VoIP?

VoIP, also known as IP telephony, is an innovative technology that delivers voice calls and messages over the internet. A VoIP system can either be integrated into a computer or connected to a traditional phone via an adapter. This system converts your voice into a digital signal that can be transmitted across IP networks.

HIPAA became law in 1996 to securely transfer healthcare information and protect personally identifiable information (PII) from theft and fraud. It prevents healthcare professionals from disclosing protected data to anyone without a patient’s consent. Companies that breach these regulations can face significant penalties and hefty fines.

While HIPAA ensures organizations protect the privacy of a patient’s electronic and physical data, it also includes data transmitted over voice. This makes HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems essential. These systems safeguard protected health information (PHI), comply with privacy and security rules, and protect PII.

Why Standard VoIP Isn’t Enough for Healthcare

HIPAA compliance is critical for any business in the healthcare industry, including:

• Providers, such as dentists’ offices, hospitals, and clinics
• Plan providers, such as health insurance firms and health maintenance organizations
• Processors, such as claims processing, and organizations that can access patient information

For these types of businesses, standard VoIP isn’t enough because most VoIP providers do not meet HIPAA requirements and have HIPAA violations. Non-compliant systems and traditional phone lines don’t have real-time encryption and security features, making them vulnerable to data breaches, loss, and snooping. This lack of secure messaging puts a patient’s PHI at risk. If confidential health data is exposed, it puts you at risk for legal issues, such as jail time or significant fines.

A VoIP system that meets HIPAA requirements provides a secure tunnel for transmitting sensitive data through encryption, access controls, and audit logs. These safeguards eliminate the risk of data loss and protect you from severe penalties. Additionally, they give your patients peace of mind and strengthen client-provider relationships through a foundation of trust and privacy. 

The unique risks and requirements of the healthcare industry can be difficult to navigate. Fortunately, Intermedia can help. We understand these intricacies and have the infrastructure and capabilities to ensure your communications about patient information are encrypted, protected, and secure.

Key Features of a HIPAA-Compliant VoIP System

A HIPAA-compliant phone service ensures that all your communications are encrypted, secure, and managed according to regulations. This means that all parts of your phone system protect patient data, including call routing and call recording. To ensure sensitive patient information is protected, these systems must have the following key features:

• End-to-end encryption: Encryption protects PHI in transit and at rest by scrambling it so that an unauthorized person who accesses sensitive data cannot make sense of it. VoIP systems must encrypt any communication, such as chats, voicemails, or calls, through Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
• Access controls: You must ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data. By limiting access to patient data to only those responsible for patient care and treatment, you help provide an additional layer of security. VoIP systems can also utilize multifactor authentication, requiring employees to use a password or code to prevent unauthorized access.
• Audit trails: Providers must maintain a detailed call log of all their communications. HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems must track call duration, message contents, voicemail transcriptions, conversation timestamps, and those involved. By logging this data, you can keep detailed records to identify potential security issues.
• Data backup: In the event of system failures, natural disasters, and other emergencies, electronic protected health information (ePHI) must still be available and protected. VoIP phone systems enable you to protect against these disasters by regularly backing up data.
• Business Associate Agreement (BAA): This legally binding contract between healthcare organizations and their VoIP providers outlines the responsibility each party has to protect PHI. Your VoIP provider must offer a BAA that aligns with HIPAA regulations.
• Redundant infrastructure and uptime guarantee: Redundancy allows for failover options, automatically rerouting calls, and maintaining communication if a server or network fails. This helps protect the confidentiality and integrity of patient data, as well as guaranteeing that patient care and communication aren’t interrupted.

At Intermedia, we understand the critical role all these features have for the healthcare industry. When you choose us as your HIPAA-compliant VoIP provider, we include a signed BAA and a 99.999% uptime SLA guarantee.

Benefits of HIPAA-Compliant VoIP for Healthcare Providers

VoIP systems that comply with HIPAA security offer the following benefits for healthcare organizations.

Improved Patient Experience

VoIP systems allow for faster and more efficient call handling. This streamlined communication facilitates better patient engagement, improves outcomes, and increases a patient’s cooperation and adherence to treatment plans. Additionally, voice systems enable your practice to offer remote consultations and telehealth.

Enable Remote and Hybrid Work

Cell phone and desktop VoIP access increases collaboration between healthcare practice locations and remote team members. This secure access allows team members to work and contact patients from anywhere without the risk of sensitive information being exposed. Your healthcare VoIP system ensures protected communications across mobile, online, and traditional devices, providing a scalable and flexible solution for improved productivity.

Lower Costs and Simplified IT

Intermedia’s all-in-one voice, video, and messaging platform allows you to centralize communication while maintaining HIPAA compliance. Our unified communication system seamlessly integrates with your existing EHRs, client management portal, and productivity software, such as Office 365. Not only can you use your existing hardware, phone numbers, infrastructure, and office phones, but you can also save money on maintenance costs.

Getting Started: What to Look for in a Provider

With a lot of VoIP service providers available to choose from, how do you know which one is the best for your organization? When you’re looking for a provider, you want to find one that offers a robust, secure, and reliable solution. You can evaluate a provider by using the following checklist:

• ·Do they sign a BAA? Your provider must offer a legally binding BAA that aligns with your needs.
• Do they provide encryption? This security feature ensures that a patient’s PHI and PII are protected during communications and while being stored.
• Do they have healthcare clients? You want to find a provider that understands the complexities of the healthcare industry and HIPAA regulations. Ask them if they are up to date with the latest regulations and best practices.
• Can they support multi-location practices? You want to find a HIPAA-compliant VoIP system that can scale as your practice grows. Finding a provider that has experience working with multisite organizations ensures that your communication isn’t interrupted as your practice expands.

Why Choose Intermedia for HIPAA-Compliant VoIP

As a leading provider of intelligent cloud communications solutions, Intermedia has helped over 150,000 businesses connect better through a cloud-based, AI-powered platform. Our unified solution includes:

• Voice
• Video conferencing
• Chat
• Text messaging
• A contact center 
• Business emails
• File sharing
• Archiving

It seamlessly integrates with EHRs and scheduling platforms to improve patient access to your providers and their medical records while optimizing your workflow.

Our healthcare-specific experience means we understand the ins and outs of HIPAA regulations. We provide a fully managed cloud VoIP solution with state-of-the-art security. Our built-in end-to-end encryption and signed BAA ensure your patients’ sensitive health information is protected, securely stored, and transmitted.

Additionally, our cloud-based communications platform enables your in-office and remote employees to connect with each other and with patients in multiple ways. It is scalable, flexible, and easy to set up. You can use your existing infrastructure and security protocols, saving you time and money. With a 99.999% uptime, patient data and calls are always available. If an issue does arise, we offer 24/7 U.S.-based support so you can get back online in no time.

Don’t believe us? Ask any one of our satisfied customers, such as Brian Harrison, President of Evita Medical Centers: “We are looking at more of our staff working in a remote setting thanks to the system… Even though someone may not physically be here, the communication remains very good, and that results in the business growing—in our case, being able to take good care of patients.”

Ensure That Your Communication is Secure and HIPAA-Compliant

Secure patient communications are more than a regulatory requirement—they’re a hallmark of quality care. A HIPAA-compliant VoIP system provides a robust business communication solution that you need to protect sensitive patient data while enhancing your operational efficiency.

While your VoIP system needs to adhere to strict HIPAA rules, setting up your system doesn’t have to be difficult. You need to choose a trusted partner who understands the complexities of HIPAA compliance.

Ensure your voice communication is secure and HIPAA-compliant with Intermedia’s dedicated healthcare platform. Contact us today to learn how our VoIP solution supports your compliance needs while improving patient care and protecting personal health information. 

Rob Oscanyan

Robert Oscanyan is a Senior Director of Product Marketing at Intermedia, where he focuses on helping businesses improve their customer experience using Intermedia's award-winning cloud communications solutions. Rob has over a decade of experience spanning market research, messaging, and elevating the voice of the customer. In his free time, he constantly creating new adventures with his wife, seven kids, and a small army of pets.