How to Use Email Effectively and Securely at Your Dental Practice

Ensuring secure and HIPAA-compliant (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) communication is essential in the dental industry, where patient privacy is paramount. It’s a constant challenge for practices to harness the power of technologies while adhering to strict regulatory standards HIPAA. 

The convenience and efficiency that email brings to dental offices for both internal communication among staff and external correspondence with patients are undeniable. However, the seemingly innocuous nature of email can pose substantial risks and limitations for dental practices that don’t have rigorous protocols for ensuring HIPAA compliance.

In this piece, we explore the balance between the convenience of email communication in dental practices and the importance of communicating through HIPAA-compliant mediums. 

Common Email Practices That Violate HIPAA

In the realm of dental practices, adherence to HIPAA is paramount, especially when it comes to email communication. Unfortunately, several standard practices often breach these regulations. 

Here are a few instances that violate HIPAA to watch out for: 

Sending Unencrypted Emails 

One of the worst mistakes dental practices can make is sending unencrypted emails. This is especially true when they contain Protected Health Information (PHI), which includes anything that can identify a patient, like their name, address, or specific medical details. 

Using Personal Email Accounts 

Similarly, using personal email accounts to send PHI is a HIPAA violation. These email accounts typically lack adequate security measures, which is a violation. 

Sending Emails Without Consent

Another common mistake is failing to obtain patient consent before using their email for PHI communication. Software solutions like Sindi, for example, help dental offices securely transmit patient data, eliminating this common HIPAA violation. 

No Email Audit Trail 

The absence of an email audit trail is another severe HIPAA violation. This is necessary for tracking access and modifications to PHI, often resulting in non-compliance.

What Happens If You Use Email in a Non-HIPAA Compliant Way?

The consequences of using email in a non-HIPAA-compliant manner can be far-reaching. Dental practices need to understand these ramifications to stay in line with regulations. 

Financial and Legal Penalties

Sending non-HIPAA-compliant emails to patients can result in substantial financial penalties, which vary based on the extent and nature of the violation. It can also lead to legal consequences, including lawsuits from affected patients. This can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Reputation Damage 

There's also the risk of damage to your reputation. Any breach of patient trust can result in a loss of clientele and damage to the professional reputation of the dental practice. 

Investigation and Criminal Charges 

Non-compliance might also lead to an investigation by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), potentially resulting in mandatory corrective action plans or even criminal charges in extreme cases.

8 Measures Your Office Can Take to Use Email Securely and Effectively 

As you can see, the consequences of using email communication in a non-HIPAA-compliant manner aren’t worth the risk. Here are eight ways your dental practice can start to use email securely and effectively. 

1. Implement Encryption

Use email services that provide end-to-end encryption to protect PHI during transmission.

2. Use Secure Email Servers

Ensure that your email servers are secure and compliant with HIPAA regulations.

3. Train Your Staff

Regularly train staff on HIPAA compliance and the correct use of email for communication.

4. Collect Patient Consent Forms

Always obtain explicit consent from patients before using their email for PHI communication. Using software solutions like Sindi is a great way to access fillable form templates that already comply with HIPAA guidelines. 

5. Use Access Controls

Implement strict access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can view or send emails containing PHI.

6. Incorporate Regular Audits

Conduct regular audits of email use to ensure compliance and identify potential risk areas.

7. Use Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)

Ensure that all third-party service providers, including email providers, sign BAAs. Standard email providers may or may not have BAAs in place, but Sindi does and is fully HIPAA-compliant.

8. Set Up Email Archiving

Implement robust archiving solutions to securely store emails that contain PHI for the required retention period.

Secure Your Dental Practice’s Communication 

Using email effectively and securely in a dental practice is not just about leveraging technology; it's about respecting and protecting patient privacy, as HIPAA mandates. By understanding the common pitfalls, recognizing the severe implications of non-compliance, and implementing strategic measures, dental practices can ensure that their email use is efficient and compliant. 

This proactive approach not only safeguards patient information but also reinforces the credibility and trustworthiness of the dental practice in the eyes of its patients. 

Sindi is a paperless software solution that helps dental practices send patient referrals securely and in a few clicks. Sign up today to take advantage of HIPAA-compliant forms and safe communication for peace of mind.