Whether you’re in the healthcare industry or not, a HIPAA compliant answering service is the best choice for you and your callers.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with HIPAA compliant answering services, it is a form of live caller support that follows the guidelines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Answering services that are HIPAA compliant take great care to protect patient information. They use a series of training programs, compliance monitors, and protocols to ensure they remain in good standing when it comes to HIPAA.
Now, if you’re a medical professional and you use a medical answering service, then you MUST choose a provider who can prove they are HIPAA compliant. There really is no alternative as you are obligated to protect patient information and will be held responsible even if it is your answering service that causes the mishap. So an answering service that is hip with HIPAA is an absolute necessity for those in the healthcare industry.
If you are not a medical professional, then you might be wondering what difference it makes if your answering service is HIPAA compliant or not. You’re never on the hook for healthcare regulatory violations, so why should you care how your live support provider handles caller info? Here’s why: HIPAA compliant answering services hold themselves to a higher standard and handle all of their calls (both medical and non-medical) with a professionalism and precision that you should desire in a business partner.
Answering services that are not HIPAA compliant tend to get sloppy in their work. Their standards aren’t as high and they mishandle more calls or give out information to callers that they shouldn’t. Wouldn’t you rather have an answering service on your side that is going to respect your caller’s information, take care of your customers in a courteous manner, and represent your organization by providing a professional phone experience?
Of course you would! And that’s why it’s always best to choose a HIPAA compliant answering service regardless of your industry. You’re getting a top-notch business partner who takes caller information seriously. Your customers will appreciate their discretion and you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing that all your callers are in good hands.
If you’d like to have a discussion with us about how our HIPAA compliant answering services can benefit you no matter which industry you’re in, give us a call today at 800-295-7000.