Picking the right phone system for a healthcare provider is more than just choosing a phone with good features. Your phone system needs to stay in compliance with HIPAA. Why? Saved voicemail or audio recordings can qualify as electronic protected health information ( ePHI ). Under HIPAA, this type of data needs high-quality security to keep it safe. Let’s discuss if Vonage is a HIPAA compliant phone provider.
About Vonage
Vonage is a business cloud communications provider. The company offers VoIP services like phone systems, messaging, video calls, and more. Vonage says it’s possible for a healthcare provider to use Vonage for virtual office visits and medical consultations.
Vonage and the business associate agreement
As mentioned before, covered entities need to ensure their business associates , such as their VoIP provider, are compliant with HIPAA. When looking for a cloud-based phone provider, start by asking if the company offers a business associate agreement (BAA). The BAA covers each party’s rights and obligations concerning privacy, security, and breach notification rules under HIPAA. It’s crucial that a VoIP provider is willing to sign a BAA or your healthcare business risks violating HIPAA guidelines . Vonage mentions on its website that it can provide a BAA. You can read more about what the Vonage BAA covers by clicking here .
Vonage and data security
Vonage is committed to putting information security first. Vonage has HITRUST CSF certification , the most widely adopted security framework in the U.S. for the healthcare industry. It also has the PCI Service Provider certification. But how does Vonage protect the data it collects? It turns out that Vonage uses numerous security features, including:
- Dedicated secure servers with disk encryption
- Firewall protection Voice traffic encryption between headsets
- System hardening procedures to eliminate security threats by reducing a system’s attack surface of vulnerability
Is Vonage HIPAA compliant?
Yes, Vonage can be a HIPAA compliant phone provider. Vonage is willing to sign a BAA, which is key to ensuring that a healthcare provider stays HIPAA compliant. Features are customizable and can be tailored to maintain HIPAA guidelines.
What about email security?
Vonage may be a good phone provider for your healthcare business, but another important tool for communicating with patients is HIPAA compliant email . Paubox Email Suite Plus is an excellent solution for keeping your emails secure and HIPAA compliant. Business associate agreements are included with no extra charge. It’s also easy to use. It seamlessly integrates with your current email provider, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 . Your employees can send emails directly to a patient’s inbox - no need to sign into a client portal or third-party app to read a message from your practice. Any email that you send will automatically use the latest TLS 1.3 encryption for unparalleled privacy and performance. Our robust inbound security tools stop email threats, such as phishing emails , spam , viruses , and malware . Our patented ExecProtect feature also blocks display name spoofing emails before they even reach your inbox.
Try Paubox Email Suite Plus for FREE today.
