Home Forums Discussions General Discussion What would you text to a patient?

Nothing personal I'm sure, but what wouldn't trigger the HIPAA police?

I am thinking about using this ability to send a SMS text from email if they want to give me the name of their phone service carrier.

http://sms411.net/how-to-send-email-to-a-phone/

I would use it to let the patient know they have a new message in the Updox portal.

I am also thinking I could use it to remind them they have an appointment tomorrow. Does that raise the HIPAA hairs on the back of your neck? Anything else you would try to get away with?

I don't know. I think there could be a lot of good reasons. The last I read was if they text you or email you first or if they give you written notice, which they could when they give you the name of their phone service carrier.

It's funny, because in all this time, I have read one instance of a HIPAA infraction that caused any action.

I haven't had a malpractice suit, and hope that doesn't jinx it, so HIPAA is the boogeyman I guess.

This is my favorite example of jail time for a HIPAA offense, probably because of the name: No More "Sergeant Shultz" defense

I would not think that an SMS message would be treated differently than e-mail. As long as it is not Protected Health Information, I don't think HIPAA applies. Insecure is insecure and the medium doesn't matter.

I have a free app on iPhone and droid that states is hippa compliant and 256 encryption
Wickr
Messages autodestruct

Sounds like Wickr is essentially a portal for texts so they can encrypt and destroy the texts. Do both parties have to join Wickr ala Updox?

Yes both parties have to be on Wickr

Dan,

Been meaning to answer this - I would use something like the Updox email template "<<Practice>> has left an message for you in in the Patient Portal ...."

Let's them know that something is out there, but doesn't disclose anything problematic.

The gov't has an issue with him "snooping into records." They are so absurd in their hypocrisy!

They have been violating the 4th amendment to the US Constitution, to the tune of millions accounts of this offense through the NSA!

As an aside, I am told by my main Apple guru that iMessages are double encrypted, once at the originating device and again at their servers, making them one of the most secure transmission forms available. Not sure what practical application this has unless you are putting together a drug deal. Privacy laws generally have more holes than a sponge.

"iMessage -- for those occasional patient interactions that make you feel like you are putting together a drug deal."

I think that most of these companies probably have a 'back door' for the Feds to allow them to snoop on it. I don't know if the double encryption really matters when it comes to the real evil spies, our own government.