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While most of us rely on social media, email or even texting to exchange information, certain industries must still rely on other communication channels to ensure compliance with industry regulations. For instance, in the healthcare field, texting information regarding a patient does not comply with HIPAA regulations. Sending the same information via IP fax, however, is acceptable.

Other platforms and apps have also emerged to meet the demand in the industry, as well as comply with laws. eWeek recently reported on a new Doximity iPad app that supports collaboration messaging on the iOS tablet.

The online network for doctors designed the app to allow medical professionals to collaborate in a way that is not only efficient, but also meets with the expectations and requirements established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Made up of 160,000 physicians, or 21 percent of all U.S. doctors, Doxity is often positioned as a LinkedIn (News - Alert) for doctors. The goal of the network is to enable doctors to stay connected, while still following proper protocol when it comes to communications. Too often, appropriate communication is missing, whether it involves following-up with a primary care provider or correspondence within the established health system.

Now, with use of the app, doctors can see an entire fax on the screen without having to scroll through it to find the information they need. This ensures the IP fax communication is completely reviewed before a decision is made. If a doctor is interrupted before scrolling through a fax on a smaller device, he or she runs the risk of missing key information before making a decision on a patient.

The Doximity app relies on IP fax communications to enable physicians to share information within the network. Each doctor is assigned a fax number and can receive the faxes directly on the iOS tablet. They can also add notes and signatures to the faxes or search a directory of 60,000 pharmacies and 707,000 U.S. doctors. The directory ensures the app is backward-compatible with the health care system already in place.

This focus on proper fax communications is important as HIPAA violations can incur fines in the seven figure range. Healthcare organizations need to have firm strategies in place to ensure full compliance at all times. Solutions designed to support such initiatives are therefore worth examining.

When fax communications are printed out on fax machines and are then exposed to unauthorized users, HIPAA is violated. Sending the fax electronically allows for the proper protections to be in place so that only the intended receiver reviews the information.  

In addition to protecting the information, organizations also have to maintain a history on the exchange of that information, demonstrating where it has gone and who has had access to it. This information is much easier to track if the fax is maintained and managed on a digital platform. IP fax allows for this high level of control to protect the information, the patient and the organization.