How to ensure your call center is HIPAA-compliant
HIPAA refers to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This is a 1996 law that defines the standards for protected health information. HIPAA also includes electronic information with updates coming from the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. It’s important for call centers to be HIPAA-compliant in order to ensure that health care providers and other business associates protect sensitive personal information when speaking to callers and accessing their information.
The act also requires health care organizations to prioritize the privacy and security of health data. It also involves notification of breaches and the right for patients to obtain copies of their health records. When a call center is compliant with these standards, every aspect of the technology protects patient data and keeps security top of mind. So, how do you ensure that your call center is compliant with HIPAA? And how can you make sure that all staff members are familiar with these guidelines throughout the customer experience? Here’s a guide to help answer the following questions about a HIPAA compliant call center.
What is a HIPAA-compliant contact center?
Since contact centers typically involve sharing medical information over the use of technology, it’s important that there are safeguards against data breaches or HIPAA violations. For example, advanced encryption can be used to protect sensitive data. This is a specific protocol used to protect electronic data. The information is converted into an alternative form of text in order to make it difficult for external threats to decipher. A decryption key is used to convert the data back into plain text. This is a great way to protect information, especially when health matters are involved.
A HIPPA-compliant contact center might also use password protection based on a user’s role. Password protection and masking are great ways to ensure safety. Contact centers with HIPAA compliance could also utilize encryption for all forms of interaction, including voice recordings, screen recordings, or even chat transcripts. And it can also complete audit records with information about every login session at both the system level and the tenant level. Lastly, secure data storage is a key component of a HIPAA-compliant contact center. It’s important that private information is unreadable in logs and only accessed with specific parameters.
What are the advantages of HIPAA compliance?
Making sure that contact center software follows HIPAA requirements makes it easier for patients to feel comfortable sharing sensitive information. It also improves the efficiency of workflows and helps with overall customer satisfaction. Response times will be a lot faster, and information can be sent to providers with ease. With the right measures in place, accountability is also a lot easier.
Where can you find a contact center that is HIPAA-compliant?
Bright Pattern has a fully compliant contact center with access control, secure data storage, advanced encryption, and a comprehensive audit trail. Tenants only get access to their own resources, and password protection can lock out specific accounts to ensure safety. All types of omnichannel contact are encrypted and all personal health information is rendered unreadable to protect patient information. Bright Pattern even allows for compliant texting and makes a great addition to any health care organization.
If your call center needs to be HIPAA-compliant, using the right software makes it easy. Bright Pattern is a powerful cloud-based contact center solution that utilizes artificial intelligence and cutting-edge innovation to provide the best possible customer service. With built-in quality assurance, your medical organization can guarantee consistency and quality in all interactions. Plus, there are ways to personalize the customer experience across different channels. Plus, it’s fully compliant with HIPAA, as well as other standards such as TCPA, GDPR, FISMA, SOC 2, and more.