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Securely Share Patient Information Externally

Securely Share Patient Information ExternallyHospitals and doctors routinely share patient information with labs, clinics, insurance companies and other healthcare providers. Once this information leaves your control, third parties can share it with anyone, possibly compromising your and your patient’s confidentially. These actions can violate HIPAA and patient privacy laws.

Some organizations still fax information, since it’s less likely to be compromised than an email, but the technology is not as convenient to use as more modern methods.  Having easy access to patient information is becoming more important as clinicians want the most up to date information available while they are working with patients.

You need to extend the security of your internal organization to your partners so that patient information is protected regardless of where it goes and who has it.

Protect patient information as you share it externally by encrypting the files and applying persistent security policies that protect them regardless of where they are or their format.  You can share sensitive PDFs, spreadsheets, images and documents through email, USB drive, external portal, a file sharing service or FTP sites and ensure they are always protected.  If someone forwards the files to an unauthorized user, that person can’t access the information inside.

You can verify a recipient’s identity through a simple and secure email authentication process that can also tie access to a specific device.  You can even limit the time a user can access the file, since a lot of information may be time sensitive.  File access is tracked in real time for precise auditing.

Here are some advantages of providing a data-centric security approach to sharing your sensitive information:

clip_image001 Encrypt PHI to meet HIPAA and new data protection and privacy  legislation

clip_image001[1] Securely share files with labs, clinics, insurance companies and other providers

clip_image001[2] Control who can View, Edit, Print and take a Screen Capture of a file

clip_image001[3] Limit access time and number of devices, including mobile

clip_image001[4] Revoke access to shared files immediately, regardless of location or who has them

clip_image001[5] Trace and control user/file activities in real-time down to a precise location

Protecting your patient’s information as you share it with external organizations ensures you meet healthcare regulations and safeguards patient confidentiality. Reduce the risk of PHI exposure and HIPAA violations when sharing patient information.

 

Photo credit Seattle Municipal Archives

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