Anything relating to medical services is considered to be highly classified and protected information. The doctor patient privilege means that patients can be assured that the sensitive information that they provide to their doctors will not be shared with other people. Doctors, administrators and all employees working in the medical field must follow the HIPAA laws at all times. This is why it is so important that medical offices and physician practices uses only HIPPA compliant medical answering services to take care of their after hour needs.
What Is HIPPA?
HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It began in 1996 as a way of providing a set of standards for handling patient information. It gives detailed information on how a patient’s information can be used and prevents any individuals from disclosing any information to any outside parties without the express approval of the patient.
How HIPPA Benefits Patients
The unified HIPPA laws have done a lot to help patients feel more in control of their own medical information. Here are a few ways that it has helped patients
- It sets distinct boundaries for the use and disclosure of health records.
- It lets patients have more control over how their health care information is used and who can have access to their records.
- It provided a national standard that all medical agencies across the country must comply with. This allows for continuity of medical care and privacy regardless of where a patient is seen.
- It holds offenders accountable for their actions and imposes severe punishments for anyone who violates the HIPPA.
Why It Is Important to Use HIPPA Certified Answering Services
Answering services must be HIPPAA compliant because they deal with patients and their confidential medical histories on a daily basis. Automated answering services ensure that the doctor or physician on call receives all of the information they need as quickly as possible to ensure the most effective level of patient care. HIPPA compliant medical answering services can be secured for a low monthly fee which gives the doctors and physicians the freedom to enjoy their after-hours time without worrying about the calls they might be missing while they are away. This means that they can focus on patient care and ensuring that their patients are always taken care of even when they are away from their office or clinic.
