Introduction

With the help of HIPAA Compliant Calls practitioners can now communicate with patients remotely through telehealth in today’s healthcare environment. With video conferencing tools growing, healthcare providers need to maintain patient privacy by following to HIPAA regulations. In this guide we will explore the list of popular hipaa compliant video calling platform, including Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, and others.

HIPAA compliance is important.

HIPAA—what is it?

In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) established national guidelines for protecting patient information. Health providers, health plans, and other entities that handle personal health information (PHI) must implement safeguards to protect it.

• Estimated Impact: Data breaches will account for nearly one in five Americans in 2022, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

• Financial Consequences: If you violate HIPAA, you could face fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 each time.

Consider HIPAA compliance when selecting video conferencing tools.

Does FaceTime comply with HIPAA?

Thousands of people use FaceTime for video conferencing due to its convenience and user-friendliness. While FaceTime is generally considered secure, it does not fully comply with HIPAA regulations:

• Lack of BAA: There is no Business Associate Agreement (BAA) between Apple and healthcare providers, so data protection is not legally required.

• Patient Consent: If a patient provides written consent beforehand, FaceTime can be used for sharing PHI. Because of this, it is not suitable as a tool for secure communication.

Does Google Meet comply with HIPAA?

Healthcare providers have become increasingly interested in Google Meet, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to HIPAA regulations, Google Meet is compliant.

• BAA Availability:With Google Meet, healthcare providers can securely transmit personal health information with Google’s BAA Cloud services.

• Security Features:When transferring patient data, Google Meet incorporates video call encryption.

Does WhatsApp comply with HIPAA?

Even though WhatsApp is widely used, it is inappropriate for the healthcare industry:

• Non-compliance: Patients are at risk of sharing confidential information through WhatsApp since it doesn’t comply with HIPAA standards.

• Limited protection:

  WhatsApp allows patient consent but lacks adequate security features to keep PHI private.

Is Zoom HIPAA compliant?

During the pandemic, Zoom was a leading telehealth platform. To comply with HIPAA regulations, this system requires several measures:

• BAA Signing: To ensure compliance, healthcare providers need to sign an agreement with Zoom.

• Security Protocols: Zoom provides various security features, including:

  • End-to-end encryption: Protects data from being accessed by anybody apart from the participants in the call.

  • • Cloud Recording Controls: To prevent unauthorized access to recorded sessions, you can turn off the cloud recorder.

  • Chat Encryption: The text messages exchanged during calls are encrypted for a higher level of security.

  • User Statistics: Zoom recorded well over 300 million daily meetings in 2021, demonstrating the popularity of this platform among healthcare providers.

Is Skype HIPAA compliant?

In addition to video conferencing, Skype has specific HIPAA compliance requirements:

• Business Version: The free version of Skype does not meet HIPAA requirements. With Skype for Business packages (E3 and E5), you can securely transmit personal health information.

• Necessary Features: It is necessary for providers to activate specific features to ensure compliance, such as:

  • Access Control: Only allow authorized users access.

  • Encryption: Data during transmission is protected by 256-bit AES encryption.

Is Microsoft Teams HIPAA compliant?

As a collaboration tool, Microsoft Teams has gained traction in healthcare settings. However, keep the following in mind:

• Not necessarily compliant: There is no automatic HIPAA compliance with Microsoft Teams. Personal information must be protected through a BAA with Microsoft.

• Proper configuration: Using Teams requires appropriate permissions, encryption, and staff training to meet HIPAA requirements.

Privacy Policy vs. BAA: Key Differences

Health care organizations should understand the difference between a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and a privacy policy.

• Business Associate Agreement (BAA):The BAA clarifies how PHI will be handled and protected between a HIPAA-covered entity (such as a hospital or doctor’s office) and the service provider. The document defines each party’s responsibilities regarding patient data safeguarding.

• Privacy policies: This public document outlines the collection, use, and protection of your data. Although important, it is not as legally binding as a BAA.

Making Informed Telehealth Choices

To protect patient information, it is important to understand the compliance status of various video conferencing platforms. The security features and HIPAA compliance of Google Meet and Zoom make them ideal for healthcare communications. In contrast, platforms such as WhatsApp and FaceTime are noncompliant, which carries significant risks.

To maximize telehealth benefits, healthcare providers must make sure that their BAAs are signed and that their platform settings are configured correctly. Through the use of the right tools, along with appropriate training and awareness, all parties can experience a seamless and secure virtual healthcare experience.