Therapists need to secure Protected Health Information (PHI) when sending it to patients via email. They can achieve that by using a HIPAA compliant email. Finding a HIPAA compliant email might be a challenge for many therapists. Here, we’ll help you choose a HIPAA compliant email for therapists.
Choosing a HIPAA Compliant Email for Therapists
Reports from practitioners claim that 249.09 million individuals were victims of healthcare data breaches from 2005 to 2019. That figure proves how risky it can be for healthcare practitioners to use non-HIPAA compliant emails. Below are five tips therapists can use to choose a HIPAA compliant email:
Offers End-To-End Encryption
Emails with PHI carry sensitive data that should be accessed by the sender and recipient only. Sending such data through unsupported networks can lead to data breaches. To avoid that, a therapist should choose HIPAA compliant email that offers end-to-end encryption.
Encrypted email transforms PHI into a code, preventing unauthorized individuals from accessing it during transmission. It’s the responsibility of the sender to encrypt the message and the recipient to decrypt it. That means hackers, email providers, and internet providers can’t access or decrypt the message in transit.
Easy to Use
A reliable HIPAA compliant email for counsellors should come with an easy-to-use platform. It should be convenient for beginner and experienced therapists who wish to send PHI emails. An easy-to-use platform saves time when encrypting or decrypting messages. It also streamlines communications and fosters better relationships between therapists and clients.
Check the user interface to see if it provides a seamless user experience. An intuitive user interface guarantees a hassle-free experience when encrypting or decrypting messages. The email should also not require additional certificates, configurations or plug-ins.
Compatible with Authorized Devices
Your preferred HIPAA compliant email should be compatible with authorized devices. Check if you can access the email with a computer, iPhone, or Samsung smartphone and tablet. Authorized devices should access the email via Apple Mail (iOS), Samsung Email (Android OS) or the Mail app on your PC.
A HIPAA compliant email that works with such devices doesn’t require downloading new apps. The devices can securely send and receive emails, especially on encrypted connections. These devices can also keep up with recent updates to secure apps or make them more efficient.
Provide Antispam and Antivirus Protection
Opening virus or spam email attachments can result in data breaches and security issues. Choose a HIPAA compliant email for therapists with antispam and antivirus protection to protect your device from malware-infected emails. An antispam system can detect and block spam emails to keep your data secure. You can also use the system to blacklist email senders who send potentially dangerous emails.
The email’s antivirus system should help keep your inbox free of malware. It scans and cleans malware-infected messages before you can access or open them. The antivirus system should also update itself regularly to eliminate the latest malware threats.
Reduced Risk of Data Loss
A good HIPAA compliant email for specialists should prevent data loss during and after transit. The email should scan for sensitive data to avoid sending it in clear text. It might quarantine the message, allowing you to send it as clear text or encrypted. This prevents the loss of encrypted data in the case of an attempted security breach.
The HIPAA compliant email should also offer data recovery and backup systems. If you lose or accidentally delete messages, these systems restore them in real-time. The email should archive your incoming and outgoing messages so you can access them when needed.
Find a Reliable HIPAA Compliant Email for Counsellors
Choosing a HIPAA compliant email can help you send PHI without risking data breaches. Check if a given HIPAA compliant email offers end-to-end encryption. It should also be easy to use, work with authorized devices, prevent spam and viruses, and reduce the risk of data loss. Find a reliable HIPAA compliant email for counsellors today and secure your sensitive data.