Can a vanity toll free number also offer HIPAA compliance?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or HIPAA governs the safeguarding of data. That includes all communications to and from patients and saving their information in a secure way.
A toll free number lets patients contact their healthcare provider at no charge.
Combined with an easy-to-remember vanity number, toll free numbers offer a low-cost and easy way to communicate. Yet do they work within the HIPAA framework?
This article shows how to get a vanity toll free number with HIPPA compliance.
We outline the basic regulations that cover compliant communications. Then we demonstrate how simple it is to set-up a HIPAA virtual number.
Read on to discover how a Cloud phone system not only offers compliance but a host of useful features to benefit your health business.
Table of Contents
2. HIPAA Compliant Phone Number
3. HIPAA Vanity Toll Free Number
4. Second Phone Line on a Cloud Phone System
5. Benefits of a Cloud Phone System
6. HIPAA Compliant Vanity Toll Free Numbers at iPlum
What Is HIPAA Compliance?
Twenty-four years ago, the Dept of Health and Human Services set out national standards to regulate patient data security.
With the advances in technology, the HSS saw the danger of private health information becoming exposed. Congress signed the HIPAA act and a later Privacy Rule to protect identifiable health information.
These rules came into force in 2003 and cover the following entities:
- Health Plans
- Health Care Clearinghouses
- Health Care Providers
The HSS also enacted several provisions to the HITECH Act, a law that helped tighten up HIPAA.
HITECH enforces the use of electronic health records or EHRs by health providers. It delivers tough penalties for those companies who do not comply with regulations.
Those fines can reach up to $1.5 million per year and $50,000 per violation.
Business Associate Agreement
Healthcare providers need to share protected health information (PHI) with other parties.
These partnerships are known as business associate agreements or BAAs. They also cover non-health service providers like lawyers.
BAAs fall under the same regulations under HIPPA and must conform to the proper safeguards.
HIPAA Compliant Phone Number
HIPAA regulations cover healthcare professionals to health insurance companies. Therefore, all electronic data transfers must follow strict guidelines.
Organizations that record phone calls, receive texts, or traditional faxes must do so in a secure manner. That includes saving information to a database, even for training purposes.
A HIPPA compliant phone number system satisfies all legal requirements.
For example, iPlum lets patients text your company through our secure apps. The free HIPAA texting facility works through a secure channel that only you and the patient can see. Data gets encrypted at both ends to ensure confidentiality.
This safeguarding system also applies to phone calls.
All calls made through the iPlum app are automatically secured. This not only covers HIPAA compliance but offers peace of mind for your patients.
iPlum also offers a BAA as part of our pricing plan. That includes each type of electronic PHI data and follows government regulations.
HIPAA Vanity Toll Free Number
Toll free numbers provide a free calling and texting service to the person placing the call. They're used by thousands of businesses to attract customers and make the calling experience simple and free.
Numbers are prefixed by '1-' and include 800, 877, 888, 866, 844, 855, and 833.
Vanity toll free numbers offer an easy way for customers and clients to remember a phone number. For example, 1-800-DOCTORS.
Combining a vanity number with a toll free facility brings a memorable number at no cost to your clients. Add in HIPAA compliance, and it's the perfect solution to help market your health-related business.
iPlum lets you choose from over eight hundred vanity phone numbers.
They're all toll free and 100% compliant. Simply search for a word in our database to see if it's available. Then combine it with one of our HIPAA & BAA plans to start using it today.
Second Phone Line on a Cloud Phone System
Traditional phone numbers required a PBX network and a massive outlay to route incoming calls. Thankfully, a modern Cloud phone system enables your business to add a second phone line while cutting your costs.
Virtual numbers get routed through the Internet or Cloud without the need for expensive equipment. Those savings get passed onto you which means you can add a second line with ease.
You can also use your personal mobile phone for business using a Cloud phone system.
Your private number is always kept safe yet you can send and receive calls from anywhere. It also means you're no longer stuck to your office desk to talk with patients or staff.
A second line on iPhone or Android devices opens a new way to call and text.
iPlum's second line app doesn't have the restrictions of landlines and it will grow with your business. You can add as many numbers as you wish and configure each to suit the practitioner.
Benefits of a Cloud Phone System
Cloud virtual number features include:
- Number portability
- True Caller-ID with Call Return
- Cloud voicemail accessible from anywhere
- Virtual Digital Attendants
- Auto-text missed calls
They benefit business owners and practitioners by providing fully portable communications.
International calls get charged at a lower rate too. A Canada number on iPhone offers similar rates as local or domestic calls. With iPlum's service, you don't even need to change the carrier or your phone.
Our systems also offer a virtual menu to direct clients to the correct department at no extra cost!
HIPAA Compliant Vanity Toll Free Numbers at iPlum
All healthcare professionals must use a secure HIPAA compliant phone number. But why not make patient calls free and the number easy to remember?
iPlum offers an all-in-one HIPAA texting and phone call solution.
Your patients can download a free app to communicate in a safe and secure way. Every iPlum number has its own BAA which covers ePHI information. And our toll free number database lets you choose from hundreds of vanity numbers.
Our clients benefit from Cloud phone system features such as HD calls and auto attendant. You'll never miss another call again and can re-read texts through the archive.
Contact us today by filling in a simple form.
Our agents will explain all of our HIPAA compliant options and help you choose the solution that best suits your needs.
