HIPAA Compliant- When a patient misses a doctor’s appointment without notifying the clinic, it’s a huge burden on the staff and a missed opportunity for another patient to take that time slot. Many times, patients intend to arrive at their appointment, but they do not record it or forget to show up.
If your clinic has a high number of no-shows, one of the best ways to reduce that number is to remind your patients of their appointments. You could have staff spending hours on the phone trying to call patients to confirm appointments. A reminder app will automatically send patients HIPAA-compliant information through call, text, and/or e-mail to remind them of their appointments and ask for confirmation.
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Reminder Apps Keep Customized Messages HIPAA Compliant
When you use a reminder app to notify a patient of an upcoming appointment, you can set up special automated messages for different patient groups. All of your messages will store and transmit the minimum necessary information for the appointment reminder, including the date and time of the appointment, and will never send information on procedures, diagnosis, or other personal information.
Patients sent an e-mail or text will be able to connect to the reminder app website and view data through a secure, encrypted connection. The information is sent through TLS encryption and does not travel as plain, open text. This ensures that no matter how you or your patient access the appointment information, it is always encrypted.
HIPAA-Compliant Back End Servers and Technology
Reminder apps have HIPAA-compliant servers that are housed in the United States with no risk of passing through other countries with different privacy laws. The servers themselves are also run by a HIPAA-compliant data partner with additional cybersecurity safeguards. Information housed on the servers will remain there as long as necessary and get deleted immediately when no longer needed.
Reminder Apps Will Save You and Your Staff Time and Energy
Reminder apps are superior to notifications sent from your EMR software in many ways. They can place an automated call to your patient if they do not respond to text or e-mail to ensure they receive the message. Your staff won’t have to follow up with calls to any patients that don’t respond to automated EMR reminders.
You can also program reminders for much more than just an upcoming appointment. If you have patients that should receive annual wellness checks, screenings, or diagnostics, the app can remind them when it’s time to make an appointment. Message customization means you can tell patients how to prepare for a procedure and link any paperwork they might need to fill out within the HIPAA-compliant web portal.
Subscribe to Convenience and Peace of Mind
Reminder apps are affordable. They especially pay for themselves when you consider how much staff time is saved and the cost to you of each missed appointment. Ensure that the app you use is HIPAA compliant in all aspects of their operations, and you’ll have the added convenience of an automated system combined with the peace of mind that comes from privacy and security.
