HIPAA-Compliant Cloud Fax: A Checklist for Healthcare IT
Fax still carries referrals, lab results and prior authorizations. Here is what to check before you move protected health information to a cloud fax service.
Fax hasn't disappeared from healthcare. Referrals, lab results, prior authorizations and records requests still move by fax every day, and much of that traffic still runs through aging fax servers, analog lines and modems that IT would rather not maintain.
Cloud fax removes that hardware. But when the pages carry protected health information, "in the cloud" isn't enough. Use this checklist to evaluate any service before you move.
1. Encryption in transit and at rest
Every fax should travel over encrypted connections, and stored images should be encrypted too. Ask the provider exactly where documents are stored, for how long and who can reach them.
2. Independent certifications
Self-reported compliance is a starting point, not proof. Look for third-party certifications that cover the service you will actually use. AccuRoute Cloud Fax, for example, holds:
- PCI/DSS Level 1
- ISO 27001
- HITRUST CSF
- HIPAA compliance
3. A signed business associate agreement
If the service will handle PHI on your behalf, you need a BAA in place before go-live. Confirm who signs it and what it covers.
4. Access controls and audit trails
You should be able to see who sent or received a fax, when, and from which device or application. Role-based access keeps sensitive inbound faxes away from people who don't need them.
5. Data residency options
Organizations with international operations may need fax data kept in specific regions. Make sure the service can be configured for the data sovereignty rules that apply to you.
6. Integration with how people already work
Staff shouldn't need a new habit to send a fax. The best setups let users fax from email, from the MFP and from the applications they already use, while the routing and security rules stay the same.
7. A cutover plan that protects inbound fax
The riskiest moment is the switch. Before cutover, inventory every fax number, device and workflow that depends on fax. Then plan number porting and timing so no inbound referral or result goes missing.
The technology is rarely the hard part of a fax migration. Missing one department's fax number is.
8. Support after go-live
Fax problems tend to surface at the worst time: month-end, a weekend, the middle of the night. Find out who answers when something breaks, and whether a person picks up or a ticket queue does.
Where DCMWare fits
DCMWare plans and runs AccuRoute Cloud Fax migrations for healthcare, pharmaceutical and financial organizations. We audit your current numbers and volumes, build the cutover plan, connect fax to your MFPs and applications, and support it 24/7/365 afterward.
See AccuRoute Cloud Fax or request a demo to walk through your migration.