Source: https://www.vcdoctor.com/blog/telehealth-platform-7-things-to-consi...

What is the Best HIPPA Compliant Telehealth Platform?

The HIPAA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, aims to protect patients’ sensitive medical records by regulating the way they are processed and exchanged. All HIPAA rules are mandatory, and entities covered by HIPAA will be penalized for non-compliance. Fines for HIPAA violations are not trivial and can amount to up to $ 1.5 million or even criminal prosecution.

There are some rules that everyone must follow to make a best telehealth platform HIPPA complaint. Here is a list of these rules for your better understanding.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule

Healthcare clients must possess full access to their PHI, which they are free to copy, modify or update;
The organization must respond to patients’ requests for changes and updates within 30 days;
If a healthcare provider intends to disclose patients’ PHI data to a third party, patients must give their consent in the “Privacy Policy Notices” section.
The HIPAA Security Rule
Data stored in patients’ electronic systems must be encrypted according to NIST standards.
Entities must restrict physical access to the data center, cloud, or server.
Companies should have procedures in place to comply with HIPAA privacy and security standards.
The HIPAA Enforcement Rule
This rule determines the number of fines and compensation that medical companies have to pay if someone steals customer data. Penalties range from $ 100 to $ 50,000 per violation, depending on how serious the violation is, how timely it was resolved, and whether it was committed intentionally or not.

The Breach Notification Rule
Type of data provided
A person who had unauthorized access to the PHI or to whom the data were disclosed
Type of damage caused
How to Choose the Right Telemedicine Platform?
Choosing the right telemedicine platform is an important decision for an organization or for self-use, so choose the telemedicine platform that increases your current service speed and supports your internal and external resources.

Define your goals

Before meeting with a telemedicine dealer, ensure you make a checklist of all the requirements you want to meet. In addition, you must ensure that the software is widely available, not location-specific.

Cost of HIPPA Compliant Telemedicine Platform

Return on investment along with cost analysis is very important when buying software. The preferred choice for all hospitals is cost-effective software that is zero or risk-free.

Services and Support

The best telemedicine platform delivers an excellent level of service or support to improve your healthcare delivery system. It should be easy to use and adjust to make virtual health outcomes as reliable as personal services.

Variety of Service

The best telemedicine platforms are those that deliver a wide variety of compatible tools. Providers’ telemedicine software should be able to integrate according to user needs. You must verify that the software requires the installation to run or can run without installation.

Reliable and Usable

In addition to being simple, telemedicine platforms should be reliable and have a simple interface. It should be built with a natural and automatic structure for learning, and it should not require passionate instructions for each update. Make sure that telemedicine software for service providers can quickly transmit data, photos, videos, or text without any technical problems. Usability should be smooth and efficient for multiple types of devices.

Safety

Always check that the seller has followed all the rules and regulations before signing the contract. In addition, you must review laws such as privacy, security, HIPAA compliance, and the FDA to ensure the security of your chosen telemedicine software platform.