Home Forums Updox does not allow attachments on messages

I've been getting complaints from our patients that Updox does not allow attachements to secure messages that they send to us. They often want to send things like ER Discharge papers (that they didn't bring to the appointment), Blood pressure and glucose records, and a variety of other things of a medical nature.

Can UPDOX add this ability? I'm actually rather surprised and dissapointed that it isn't there already.

Wayne, I suppose it is Updox you should be telling this.
As for me, not too many of my patients have scanners.

They at least to monitor this for issues like this. I did send in something to them directly too (I think).

Not only scanned documents, but photos. I think attachments would be useful.

John, do you have any how many iphone pics of toilet bowl contents I would be getting?

It does have the ability to. You need to have them email your Updox Email from outside of the portal (ie using their gmail, yahoo etc.).

To find your email address to give them, open the Updox Workspace > Admin > Manage Users > scroll down a little to find your Updox Email (Not your NHIN Direct Email, idk what that exists for bc it doesn't work). The address should be yourname@myupdox.com.

They can use their email client (gmail, etc.) to send you attachments just as they would using normal email. I've tried with PDF and JPG attachments and they both work. They come into your updox inbox in color too.

I'm not sure why this functionality is not available in the portal accounts (yet?) but the patient doesn't even need to have a portal anyways.

Yes they can use the email address, but I don't think that would not be a HIPAA compliant method. I believe it needs to be in the secure message.

NHIN is for organizations involved in healthcare (labs, hospitals, doctors, etc.) but not for patients AFAIK.

I can only imagine! Last week someone brought in "#2" in a ziplock. I couldn't too upset, given the effort involved...

Sending protected health information through UPDOX email outside portal risks the wrath of HIPAA compliance police $10,000 and 1 year in jail per pop. Expensive viewing of #2's.

That's very true that its no longer secure. I thought the same thing. But if they're going to send it to you anyway, they're going to fax it and its going to end up in your same Updox window. At this point its just an option for those who don't have a fax machine and prefer to email it rather than physically drop it off at the office.

In my view the important thing with HIPAA is that we do not send anything to patients non-securely. (For e.g. no patient has ever used a HIPAA cover sheet, if any, when they fax to us).

Yeah, but if you give patients your Updox email, they will then begin to use that instead of the secure messaging portal. Then you or your staff will sooner or later just start replying to it. That could lead to problems.

Touche. I hope Updox adds that feature to the portal soon. We haven't had patients complain about it, but I assume they will soon begin to. I just dont know if its too much of a security liability.

I agree that this needs to be added. I'm posting this over at the brand new updox boards in the hope someone listens. :-) Many of my patients have their labs from previous providers etc on their computers and would love to send them over the portal. They end up emailing me in my gmail account. Not exactly secure. Plus all those photos of rashes, burns, etc they send to gmail.