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HIPAA Encryption for iPhones and
Android PhonesJune 17, 2014 Sending Encrypted ePHI to Mobile Devices When new regulations were enacted in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in March 2013, healthcare organizations had to decide how to efficiently and inexpensively facilitate HIPAA encryption for iPhone and Android phones. Due to the increased use of mobile devices in the workplace, healthcare professionals had become accustomed to sending electronic protected health information (ePHI) from their mobile phones because of the speed and convenience; yet sending encrypted ePHI to mobile devices is difficult with no software compatible across all platforms. Furthermore, even though software exists for the HIPAA encryption of iPhone and Android Phones, there was still the risk that a medical professional could be sending encrypted ePHI to the wrong recipient, or outside of the encrypted communication channel; and even though the contents of the messages were encrypted, it might still be possible to decrypt them – or to decrypt messages copied onto routing servers as the texts were in transit. TigerText´s Secure Text Messaging Solution TigerText overcame the complication of HIPAA encryption across mobile devices by developing a secure text messaging solution that side-stepped issues with software compatibility by channeling all encrypted text messages through a central text messaging platform that is compatible with various operating systems. Individual users can download TigerText´s app for secure text messaging onto any mobile device or access via the web on any desktop computer, and start sending ePHI to the mobile devices of their colleagues in the same way as if they were still using SMS – yet the messages would remain within a secure encrypted network accessed by only authorized users within the organization. The application works in the same way as SMS, and is easy to integrate for authorized users without the worry of employees reverting to their previous unsecured means of communication. Furthermore, the central text messaging platform has administrative controls so that staff usage of the system can be monitored and messages remotely deleted should there be a risk of compromised ePHI. TigerText features allow communication to happen quickly and easily for your organization. For instance, integration with corporate directories enables authorized users to send secure messages to anyone within their network and delivery notifications confirm that a message has been received by its intended recipient. If an authorized user loses their iPhone or Android phone, he or she can be remotely wiped from the system to prevent anybody finding the mobile device and consequently gaining access to sensitive patient data. Easily Resolve HIPAA Encryption for iPhones and Android Phones Issues with TigerText TigerText´s secure text messaging solution eliminates the need for HIPAA encryption for iPhones and Android phones without losing any of the speed or convenience associated with sending encrypted ePHI to mobile devices. Our secure text message solution is in full compliance with the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules, and you can find out more about how TigerText fulfills the administrative, technical and physical requirements of HIPAA by downloading our HIPAA Compliance Statement. If you have any questions about the advantages of a secure text messaging solution over HIPAA encryption for iPhones and Android phones, please do not hesitate to contact us and request a free demo of TigerText in action, so that you can witness first-hand the benefits of sending encrypted ePHI to mobile devices with TigerText. |