Healthcare communications have unique attributes, making them subject to compliance regulations. Most of this deals with how to handle protected health information (PHI) to ensure its security and confidentiality.
Scaling compliance across many types of communications can be challenging. Healthcare organizations struggle to maintain rigorous controls because it’s not a core competency.
Compliance is never a simple process. There are nuances to laws, and they can change rapidly. You can be more in control of all this if you outsource print and mail to a specialized partner.
What Is Healthcare Communications Compliance?
Healthcare communications compliance involves all the processes and practices around securing PHI and confidential information. The objectives of compliance are to:
- Protect patient privacy.
- Comply with regulations.
- Prevent fraud.
- Avoid fines.
- Reduce the chance of mis-mailings, which could expose PHI.
The provisions set forth in HIPAA and other regulations provide the framework. Executing on it can be complicated.
That’s why so many healthcare organizations choose to partner with those who specialize in it.
How Transactional Print and Mail Companies Improve Healthcare Communications Compliance
You may have gaps, inefficiencies, and a lack of clarity around how you’re applying compliance across communications. Consistency and vigilance are key, and what you can expect from an experienced partner.
Compliance Change Monitoring
Transactional printers typically have compliance officers and dedicated staff to track compliance changes. They also prepare for them, focusing on what needs adjustment in workflows. You don’t need to worry about it because they have you covered.
Consistency in Compliance
You likely send lots of healthcare communications with regulatory obligations. However, each job may not have consistency as a pillar. That happens often with manual processes, older equipment and undocumented guidelines.
With a professional print and mail company, every workflow has consistency in terms of compliance checks. They leverage technology and frameworks like Lean Manufacturing to ensure this.
Accuracy Enhancements
Mis-mailings can leave you subject to noncompliance and reputational harm. While accuracy is unlikely to be 100%, there are ways to boost it. Key to this is intelligent insertion. This process uses technology and processes to support greater accuracy.
Intelligent insertion involves the printing of 2D barcodes on each page. Cameras scan that barcode, which tells the inserter which pieces to fold into the envelope. An additional camera takes an image for validation.
With this structure, we’ve been able to achieve a 99.9999% accuracy rating!
Robust Security
Compliance and security weave together. One without the other is ineffective. A significant part of compliance is ensuring the security of data, no matter where it lives or goes. Encryption is a requirement for data at rest and in motion.
When evaluating potential partners, you want to understand how they apply the security protocols. In addition to encryption, they should also:
- Have true redundancy for data and applications.
- Employ firewalls and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS).
- Conduct vulnerability scanning and penetration testing.
- Provide business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
- Leverage other cybersecurity best practices like user-level permissions, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and network segmentation.
A healthy data security program does more than meet compliance. It exceeds expectations and is adaptable.
Improve Healthcare Communications Compliance with PCI Group
With certifications in HIPAA and HITRUST, combined with our decades of experience, PCI Group is a leader in the industry. We work with all types of healthcare companies to simplify their processes, streamline production, and remain compliance-ready.
Learn how we can help by requesting a consultation today.
