Physicians’ Use of Text Messages Sparks HIPAA Compliance Concerns

Most physicians use text messaging to exchange patient information with other  health care providers, but such communication could be a violation of federal  privacy and security rules, experts said during a webinar Monday, BNA reports.

The webinar was hosted by TigerText, a provider of secure text messaging  capabilities to health care organizations and other industries.

Brad Brooks, president and co-founder of TigerText, said that more than 70%  of physicians use text messaging to communicate with other health care providers  about patients.

Brooks said that text messaging allows health care providers to send and  receive real-time information without relying on phone or email. He added that  text messaging offers a “huge opportunity” to improve the cost and quality of  health care.

However, Brooks warned that health care providers’ use of text messaging  could violate HIPAA privacy and security rules if the messages contain protected  health information and do not include adequate safeguards.

Adam Greene — an attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine and a former employee  at HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, which enforces HIPAA rules — said that HIPAA  regulations apply to all electronic protected health information and that data  included in text messages could be covered under the broad definition of  protected health information.

For example, a text message between two physicians could be considered  protected health information if it includes admission or discharge data that  could lead to the identification of the patient.

Greene urged health care organizations to include health care providers’ text  messaging capabilities and content in their HIPAA risk analyses to identify any  potential vulnerabilities (Casey Plank, BNA, 10/19).

Source: iHealthBeat

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