Throughout the course of doing business, we use many communications tools including texting, snail mail and the good, old-fashioned telephone. Here is a reminder of some important do's and don'ts when communicating.
Posted in Risk Management on Thursday, March 1, 2018
Throughout the course of doing business, we use many communications tools including texting, snail mail and the good, old-fashioned telephone. Here is a reminder of some important do’s and don’ts when communicating.
Texting (among the healthcare team)
- Do limit the amount of sensitive information and always exclude personal health information (PHI).
- Do ensure you use encrypted devices.
- Do not text PHI.
Email
- Do encrypt all emails.
- Do not add PHI to the subject line.
- Do not use your staff’s personal email addresses. Use only the business designated email address.
Telephone
- Do limit the information you leave on a voicemail—consider the amount of information necessary to leave on a voicemail.
- Do not leave highly sensitive information on a voicemail.
A patient has the right to request how and to whom information can be shared or communicated. The HIPAA privacy rule also gives individuals the right to request a restriction on uses and/or disclosures of their personal health information.