HIPAA-compliant forms are essential tools for protecting PHI in the digital world

As a physician, you do more than provide high-quality healthcare. You also safeguard your patients’ protected health information (PHI) in your office. However, are you doing everything you can to protect their data online?

If you collect patient data using online forms, you should be using HIPAA-compliant forms. Doing so promotes secure handling of PHI, protecting your patients and practice. Catalyst Healthcare Marketing is here to explain what you need to know about PHI-friendly forms.

What are HIPAA-compliant forms?

HIPAA-compliant forms are documents that securely collect, store and transmit PHI. As their name suggests, they help ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

These PHI-friendly forms must meet certain requirements. Some of them are technical prerequisites, while others relate to policies and procedures.

Here are a few examples of requirements for these forms.

• End-to-end encryption ensures the data is encrypted at every step, including collection, transmission and storage
• Limited access to patient data so that only authorized users can access it
• Proper authentication to make sure authorized users are who they say they are
• Audit logs carefully track who accessed PHI, and when, how and why they did it

These extra steps are essential for keeping your patients’ PHI safe and secure.

Providing guidance on when to use these forms

HIPAA applies whenever your practice or business associates collect, store or transmit PHI electronically or on paper. This includes data collected on these types of forms.

• Patient consent forms
• Medical records release forms
• HIPAA authorization forms
• Digital intake forms

PHI applies to more than just information about a patient’s medical diagnosis and treatment. It also includes seemingly basic information, including a patient’s name and contact information.

Getting help with setting up HIPAA-compliant forms

The world of HIPAA compliance can be complex, so it’s important to navigate it with a knowledgeable guide. In addition to your HIPAA consultant, you can rely on the Catalyst team for guidance.

While we aren’t HIPAA consultants, we do understand HIPAA-compliant forms. Our team has helped many clients set up PHI-friendly forms on their websites, and we would be happy to do the same for your practice.

You can also reach out to us if you have questions about these secure online forms.

Contact us if you would like to learn more about PHI-friendly forms. Catalyst Healthcare Marketing is here to help market your practice in a way that complies with HIPAA.

---