If you have a healthcare business, you need a phone system. Not just any phone system though. It needs to have top-tier security to ensure the protection of electronic protected health information ( ePHI ). Talkroute is a phone provider that is used by thousands of businesses, but is it HIPAA compliant?
About Talkroute
Talkroute can turn your phones and desktop computers into a virtual phone system. The Talkroute apps require no special equipment and work with macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android operating systems. You can customize your phone system to include greetings, extensions, voicemail, and more features.
Talkroute and the business associate agreement
You may not realize that your phone system needs to be HIPAA compliant. Phone systems can create electronic data that could contain PHI, like voicemails or call recordings. This data needs to adhere to HIPAA guidelines. Covered entities will need a phone system provider to sign a business associate agreement (BAA) to ensure data security. Talkroute mentions on its website that it is willing to sign a BAA. However, it will only sign a BAA if you are part of the Enterprise plan—which is the highest tier.
Talkroute and data security
While having a BAA ensures HIPAA compliance, a healthcare provider will also need to customize the Talkroute phone system to stay compliant. Here are some features that need configuration:
- Voicemail-to-email: This feature sends voicemails straight to your email either as a voicemail message transcription or an audio file attachment. The problem is that it doesn’t have encryption. You will need to disable this feature, but you can still get email notifications about new voicemail messages.
- Text messaging: You can’t send text messages with PHI using Talkroute. While messages are sent using a secure network, it doesn’t guarantee the recipient’s phone device is secured. No secure connection means it’s not HIPAA compliant.
Is Talkroute HIPAA compliant?
Yes, Talkroute can be HIPAA compliant if you use the Enterprise plan. Furthermore, a healthcare provider needs to configure the phone system settings to ensure HIPAA compliance.
What about HIPAA compliant email?
Your phone system may be covered with Talkroute, but what about your email security? You might be far more likely to send PHI in an email, and there are multiple ways that the data could get compromised and violate HIPAA.
Paubox Email Suite removes your email security vulnerabilities. Paubox allows you to send HIPAA compliant email by default with the latest security protocols like TLS 1.3 encryption and two-factor authentication .
For maximum security, you can upgrade to the Paubox Email Suite Plus, which contains our top-tier inbound email security tools. Protect your inbox from phishing , spam , viruses , and malware . We also guard your inbox against display name spoofing emails using our patented ExecProtect feature.
You can say goodbye to client login portals and third-party apps. Your patients can receive emails from you directly to their inbox. Paubox Email Suite integrates with your current email provider, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 , making it easier than ever to send and receive secure emails.
Try Paubox Email Suite for FREE today.
