Call Center Solution and HIPAA Compliance: Everything You Need to Know

Any hospital or healthcare organization that uses any VoIP based calling solution should be aware of HIPAA compliance. A call center solution for the healthcare industry is gaining a lot of popularity and therefore, we have come up with details of a call center solution and HIPAA compliance.

What is HIPAA compliance?

HIPAA is an abbreviation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This act was formed in the USA in 1996. The main agenda of this compliance is to keep the medical information of a patient secure and confidential.

Which organizations need to be HIPAA compliant?

This law is enforced in the USA. So, if you are based in the USA and if you are a healthcare practitioner or any professional working in the healthcare industry, you need to strictly follow HIPAA compliance. In the USA, it is mandatory. However, in other countries as well many healthcare professionals have started complying with HIPAA compliance as it helps in enhancing patient care and experience.

HIPAA and a Call Center Solution

A call center solution is used in the healthcare industry to bridge the communication gap between patients and healthcare practitioners. In some cases, a call center solution for healthcare also provides self-serving options and other rich communication features

HIPAA compliance adds an added layer of security to handle and store patient data. It also changes the way agents communicate with customers.

A call center agent can call patients or their families for the following reasons only:

• Share pre-registration process for an appointment
• Share test reports
• Give alert on prescription
• Provide healthcare instruction
• Give reminders
• Schedule appointments

To run promotional campaigns using a cloud call center solution, the healthcare call center needs to take patient consent well in advance. Moreover, healthcare practitioners follow HIPAA compliance related to promotions.

If a call center uses the voice logging feature available in a call center solution, then they need to follow HIPAA compliance and store call recordings as per the protected health information (PHI) rules. The call recording files need to be protected and the information shared by the patient during a call should not be leaked or used for commercial purposes.

Data has to be encrypted to reduce the chances of interception. The call center solution should have a provision of security to not allow agents to copy-paste information from one place to another.

In any text message sent to the patient, the healthcare organization should not mention any personal or medical information, which violates HIPAA compliance. Medical information of a patient should be disclosed only to an authorized person after double verification.

HIPAA Compliant Call Center Software

Adding encryption, verification, etc. to the call center solution is a job of a call center software provider. It can reduce the hassle of a call center or hospital that uses this software. We have been offering different unified communication tools to the healthcare industry. There are some big hospitals and diagnostic centers that use our unified communication solutions like an omnichannel call center solution, an IP PBX solution, a code blue: emergency alert system, etc. We follow HIPAA compliance for healthcare practitioners that need HIPAA compliance in their call center software. Contact us to discuss your requirements and to know more about our call center solution and other unified communication tools for the healthcare industry.