Healthcare Communication

HIPAA Compliance &

The Transfer of Information

HC
HIPAA Compliance

© 2008, Park Lane Global , Inc.

www.MedMinister.com
 HIPAA Compliance & the Transfer of Information 1
About This Document
The Hippocratic Oath, dating back to the fourth or fifth
century B.C., requires physicians to keep all knowledge
of individual patients "which ought not to be spread
abroad" secret¹. In the modern world however, the reality
is that health information is seen by more than just
patient and physician. As more data is transmitted via
email or fax, the chances of unauthorized access
increase. As a heavily regulated industry, the medical
field is subject to scrutiny by a myriad of rules and
regulations, which, if not properly adhered to, can pose
serious consequences. In 2004, through a federal
mandate, the Bush Administration set a deadline for all Compliance & Information Transfer
medical data to be converted to an electronic format,
stating that such a change will increase efficiency and Healthcare is one of the more
protect against lost or stolen information.² The question important business sectors in the

remains: with all apparent threats, how can healthcare United States, accounting for 15% of

organizations implement such technological the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product

advancements in a cost efficient and timely manner? (GDP).³ Unfortunately, it is also one of
the most inefficient sectors. Obsolete methods are

This Whitepaper highlights the unique information prevalent throughout all facets of the industry, particularly

transfer and document delivery needs of healthcare data transmission. Healthcare organizations have faced

providers by exploring the limited options available to many regulatory changes in recent years. The most

them, and explains how MedMinister™, a solution built infamous of these regulatory initiatives is the Health

for the secure electronic transfer of medical files, can Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),4

help providers enhance efficiency, productivity, patient which originated in 1996 to address concerns about

information security and regulatory compliance. patient information privacy and security. HIPAA’s
Security Rule is a segment within the act that covers
requirements for healthcare organizations to ensure the
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic
protected health information (ePHI). This important
“…how can healthcare segment also covers regulatory requirements related to
organizations implement the secure transfer of patient information that regularly
such technological occurs between healthcare organizations.
advancements in a cost
efficient and timely manner?”

Medical Document Delivery

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© 2008, Park Lane Global , Inc.
 HIPAA Compliance & the Transfer of Information 3
Compliance & Information Transfer, cont. The Green Factor
With the countless advancements in operational Another crucial factor that will be addressed
technologies, the more traditional, inefficient, and less by the adoption of digital records is the
secure information transferring methods, such as mailing environment. In the United States alone
and faxing, have quickly become a thing of the past. In 4 million tons of copy paper is consumed each
fact, many experts believe that in today’s saturated and year. In fact, It is estimated that the average
competitive healthcare industry, an organization’s long office employee uses more than 10,000 sheets of paper
term business success can be measured based on its per year, and 95% of the time this paper will not be
ability to transfer patient information efficiently, securely, recycled.7 One tree alone can filter up to 60 pounds of
and without delay. These days, both small and large pollutants from the air each year. Nearly 4 billion trees
healthcare organizations are improving these aspects by worldwide are cut down yearly for paper, representing
implementing advanced, yet cost effective, online about 35% of all harvested trees, and world consumption
electronic file transfer solutions. of paper has grown 400% in the last 40 years! 8 Not to
mention that paper manufacturing requires significant
The Electronic Future amounts of energy, chemicals, and water. In 2004, the
The movement towards five primary material industries—paper, steel, aluminum,
uniform adoption of electronic plastics, and container glass—accounted for 31% of U.S.
hea lt hc are r ec ords is manufacturing energy use.9
inevitable. In addition to the
Hospital Waste10
Bush Administration’s federal
mandate that all medical data
be converted to electronic format, the e-prescribing
provisions of the Medicare Modernization Act5 and
support for the development of the national health
information infrastructure are encouraging faster
adoption. Controlling costs and improving quality are the
two crucial challenges that electronic medical records
address. Though many resisted this movement at first,
the use of such digital systems has increased year after
year. Physicians that have implemented paperless
systems have realized an increase in efficiency,
organization, and their overall bottom-line. It has been
estimated that electronic health/medical records
(EHR/EMR) in conjunction with a national network “can
save about $140 billion per year – about 10 percent of
total U.S. health spending – through improved care and
reduced duplication of medical tests.”6

Medical Document Delivery

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© 2008, Park Lane Global , Inc.
 HIPAA Compliance & the Transfer of Information
Communication Gap
Healthcare is an Industry built
upon trust, and in order for organi-
zations to operate successfully,
efficiency, communication, and
continuity are key elements for
running a smooth operation. However, a fundamental
communication gap exists throughout the healthcare
industry today, particularly between one of the most
crucial and frequently overlooked relationships within the
field: Medical Service Providers and Physicians.
Physicians refer patients to various labs and diagnostic
testing centers for evaluation almost daily. The intention
of both the physician and the service provider is to verify
that the patient’s health is not at risk and deliver results in
a timely manner. However, a lack of efficiency and
communication inhibits the entire process, disrupting the
flow and continuity, and thus possibly endangering the
patient’s health. Once a test is completed and results are
ready, the time it takes for the information to be
transferred to the physician is frequently delayed.
Methods of Transferring Information
Many healthcare organizations and physicians’ offices
still use old standards, such as mailing and faxing, for the
transfer of information. Though these methods were
traditionally effective, they’re now considered to lack
adequate efficiency, reliability and security.
MedMinister.com
4
[ Mailing ]
Mailing patient data and medical reports is
considered to be a more “conservative” and
traditional approach for the transfer of
information. Other than the fact that mailing
is a highly time consuming process, there are several
other issues directly related to the use of this method,
including poor authentication of the receiver’s identity,
high costs, significant lag time, paper waste, and the
universal problem with the postal system: lost mail.
[ Faxing ]
Though faxing is still considered to be an inefficient
method for the transfer of information, faxed
transmissions are more convenient than mail, allowing for
relatively rapid communication between healthcare
professionals. However, when it comes to faxing, there
are no absolute safeguards or guarantees in regard to
patient confidentiality. Faxed documents also tend to lose
much of their quality during a transmission. Others get
mixed up or lost entirely. This can lead to weeks of
confusion (and angry phone calls) as patients, providers
and other parties sort out the details. Faxing also carries
the risk of delivering sensitive information to the wrong
party. For instance, in one highly publicized case in 1995,
a former president of the CMA inadvertently faxed a
patient’s blood test results to the Vancouver Sun
newspaper.11 No doubt, this was a violation of the
patient’s privacy.
Medical Document Delivery
© 2008, Park Lane Global , Inc.
 HIPAA Compliance and the Transfer of Information 5
[ E-Mailing ]
It is safe to say that the Internet has With its easy to use web-based interface, MedMinister™
completely changed our lives. Business is requires no software to install, no additional equipment to
no exception to the revolutionary and buy, and no IT personnel for maintenance and provides
seemingly never-ending capabilities of the the tools necessary for HIPAA Compliance.
Internet. Transmission of data via the web
ensures speed, lower costs, and reliability. Subsequently, Healthcare providers that currently use MedMinister™
one may think that emailing can simplify and safeguard experience significant increases in overall efficiency and
medical information transferring. Unfortunately this is not productivity, enhanced information security and a
the case. Though emailing medical documents may be reduction in operational costs.
more efficient than the traditional methods of mailing and
faxing, many issues are still highly apparent. Emails lack
adequate security standards such as encryption, and can
easily be forwarded to anyone. Emails also require
attachment size limits, and correspondence may be slow
or unreliable. Features & Highlights
Advanced Web Applications - Free for Physicians’ Practices
The good news is that the web is far - Completely Web-based
more advanced than email alone, - Instantly Share Medical Files With Colleagues
and offers better solutions such as - Secure 24/7 Access to Files From Anywhere
securely encrypted file transfer
- HIPAA Compliant EV SSL Encryption
applications. That is why many large
- Multi-User Capability with Permission Levels
healthcare organizations and hospitals have for years
- Get Delivery Confirmation
been using such applications to transfer patient
- Track When Files are Actually Downloaded
information securely. However, up until now, these
advanced web applications cost thousands of dollars a - Receive Email Notifications Upon File Delivery
year to purchase setup and maintain. Fees a small - Reduce Paper Work, Excess Costs
to medium size medical service provider or - Promote a Greener Office Environment
physician’s practice simply could not afford. That’s is - All Patient Test Results in a Single Online Account
exactly why MedMinister™ was built. MedMinister™ is a - Seamlessly Download Files to any EMR system
completely web based electronic document delivery - Search by Patient Name & Demographics
solution that allows for the secure electronic transfer of
medical documents such as patient test results,
transcribed documents, and medical reports from one
healthcare provider to another. Best of all, MedMinister™
is being offered for free to all physicians’ practices in the
U.S.

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 HIPAA Compliance and the Transfer of Information 6

To Learn More Visit

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REFERENCES
1 “Hippocratic Oath: Modern Version,” Public
Broadcasting System, http://www.pbs.org/
wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_modern.html,
Accessed November 2008.
2 Gilhooly, Kym. “Rx for better health care:
Interoperable electronic health records prom-
ise to streamline health care, boost quality
and cut costs,” Computerworld,
Government. http://www.computerworld.com/
governmenttopics/government/
story/0,10801,99299,00.html,
Accessed November 2008.
3 “Health Insurance Costs,” National
Coalition on Health Care.
http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml,
Accessed November2008.
4 HIPAA, www.hipaa.org
5 “Medicare Modernization Act Update: Over-
view,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Ser-
vices,
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/
PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/ 01_Overview.asp,
Accessed November 2008.
6 Konkstvedt, Peter, M.D., Shaman, Hindy, Quinn,
John. “Health Information Technology and the
Electronic Health Record: Implications for
Health Care Organizations,” HCT Project, Vol-
ume 2. http://www.hctproject.com/
documents.asp?grID=376&d_ID=2853. Ac-
7 cessed November 2008.
“Waste Reduction and Recycling: Waste Facts
and Figures,” Clean Air Council. http://
www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html, Ac-
cessed November 2008.
8 Martin, Sam. “Paper Chase,” Ecology.org. http://
www.ecology.com/features/paperchase, Accessed
November 2008.
9
“Recycling Fact Sheet,” Going Green: A Resource Kit
for Pollution Prevention in Healthcare. http://
www.noharm.org/library/docs/Going_Green_4-
6_Recycling_Fact_Sheet.pdf, Accessed November
2008.
10 “Waste Minimization, Segregation, and Recycling in
Hospitals,” Going Green: A Resource Kit for Pollution
Prevention in Healthcare. http://www.noharm.org/
library/docs/Going_Green_4-
1_Waste_Minimization_Segregation.pdf. Accessed
November 2008.
11 Dodek, Arthur, MD; Dodek, Daniel Y., BSc. “From
Hippocrates to Facsimilie: Protecting patient confi-
dentiality is more difficult and more important than
ever before,” http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/
reprint/156/6/847.pdf, Accessed November 2008.

This document is strictly informational and should in no way be considered as legal advice. Please consult your own legal
counsel for help interpreting regulations and specific compliance advice. The information contained herein is subject to change
without notice and should not be interpreted as constituting any sort of guarantee .

Secure Electronic File Transfer

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© 2008, Park Lane Global , Inc.