Are you using HIPAA compliant email in your dental practice? If not, you could be putting your patients’ data and your business at risk.
In this blog post, we will discuss the dangers of using unsecured email for dental practices and why you need to make the switch to a HIPAA compliant email solution. We’ll also take a look at DMA’s Encrypted Email solutions and how they can help keep your data safe and secure.
HIPAA Compliant Email
So, what is HIPAA compliant email? Essentially, it is an email service that meets the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule. This means that the email provider must have adequate security measures in place to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of patient data. Furthermore, they must also provide audit logs and event monitoring to ensure that any unauthorized data access is detected and reported.
The Dangers of Unprotected Email
There are many dangers of using unsecured email for dental practices. One of the most significant risks is the potential for data breaches. If patient data is sent over an unsecured email network, hackers could intercept it. This could lead to a loss or theft of sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and medical records. In addition to the financial costs of such a breach, your practice could also face stiff penalties from the HHS if it violates HIPAA.
Another risk of using unsecured email is that patient data could be inadvertently released to unauthorized individuals. For example, if you were to send an email to a patient’s family member using their personal email address, the contents of that message could be seen by anyone who has access to that account. This could violate patient confidentiality and put your practice at risk of legal action.
Finally, unsecured email is simply not as reliable as a HIPAA compliant solution. If your email server goes down, you could lose access to vital patient data, hampering your ability to provide care.
Is Yahoo or Gmail Email HIPAA Compliant?
You may be wondering if Yahoo and Gmail email is HIPAA compliant. The short answer is no. Yahoo and Gmail do not meet the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule and, as such, should not be used for sending or receiving protected health information (PHI).
If you are using Yahoo or Gmail email accounts for your dental practice, we strongly recommend switching to a HIPAA compliant solution as soon as possible.
Not only does it look unprofessional, but it broadcasts to your entire patient base and business partners that you are using an unsecure email account.
Additionally, emails provided by internet service providers such as sbcglobal.net or centurytel.com are also not HIPAA compliant. Basically any free email service is free for a reason. So, if you are using any of these services for your dental practice, we urge you to switch to a solution that meets the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule.
DMA’s Encrypted Email Solutions
DMA helps dental offices secure their email communications with domain connected email accounts and enabled encryption. This will give your business a professional and secure email account to interact with patients and business partners. Our email solution is simple and allows secure message transmission without the need for recipients to remember an extra username or password when accessing messages.
If you are looking for a HIPAA compliant email solution for your dental practice, contact DMA Tech Solutions today!
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