Paperwork is an essential part of healthcare, but it often takes time away from your staff. Despite your constant reminders to your patients to come in early for check-in, many of them don’t, wasting part of their appointment time filling out and signing paperwork. The paperwork also often holds up patient referrals, insurance payments, and more.
Using HIPAA-compliant electronic documents allows you to collect electronic signatures ahead of time, speeding up your ability to care for patients and get paid for your services.
HIPAA stands for the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Passed in 1996, HIPAA is a set of standards governing how health providers, insurance companies, and other agencies disclose private patient health information.
Violating HIPAA puts your healthcare agency at risk of steep fines and even criminal prosecution. For this reason, you should not use email to send electronic documents for a digital signature. Use HIPAA-compliant electronic documents, including an electronic signature solution that passes security protocols.
Healthcare electronic signature tools allow you to create digital signatures to send medical records and other paperwork digitally. Instead of sending a medical document to a physician or an insurance provider for a signature, you can get a HIPAA-compliant electronic signature immediately for faster processing.
For patients, HIPAA-compliant electronic documents give them faster access to care without compromising their sensitive information. For example, if someone is having a medical emergency, you can send their medical history to the care provider while they are en route to the care facility without violating security protocol. The patient’s emergency care provider can be prepared for what awaits them when the patient arrives.
Using HIPAA compliance software helps you remain compliant with regulations, saving you from potential penalties.
When using electronic signatures, you are required to comply with HIPAA regulations as well as federal and state contract laws, such as the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, which creates rules for e-signatures. You also need to make sure any protected information is transmitted securely and safe from unauthorized access.
Here are the requirements for HIPAA-compliant electronic signatures:
There are many steps you can take to make sure your electronic signatures are compliant. First, use a HIPAA compliance checklist to make sure everyone on your staff transmits electronic documents the same way.
Use a healthcare electronic signature tool that lets you control access to the system. Limiting access to key personnel helps you keep records safer and more secure. Partner with a third-party vendor with experience in the healthcare industry because they understand how to protect patient records.
If you’re unfamiliar with federal and state-level contract laws in your area, consult a lawyer to help you set up your compliance checklist. As a healthcare professional, you’re likely familiar with HIPAA compliance but not the contract laws and guidelines for electronic signatures. A lawyer can help you ensure your e-signature practices comply with these regulations.
Finally, make sure whichever platform you use to collect e-signatures comes with security measures that protect your patients' personal health information.
Instead of searching for HIPAA-compliant electronic signature software and document management software, use a platform that does both. WorldView’s digital signature software lets you manage and transmit patient health records, track orders, make notes, and collect electronic signatures with one tool.
The platform works well with mobile devices, so your staff can use it while on-site with patients or other providers. Stop letting paperwork bottlenecks stand in the way of patient care. Schedule a demo today.