HIPAA COMPLIANT VIDEOCONFERENCING PLATFORMS

In this week’s topic, we will be discussing about HIPAA compliant videoconferencing platforms.

In recent years, with no doubt technology has become a very important tool to communicate and share information with others all around the world using our smart phone devices and tablets, as well as our computers. Videoconferencing is one of the many technology platforms that is available in our web-culture that offers to its users beyond its audio capability, a visual interaction that brings people closer and makes the overall experience much more engaging and real.

Videoconferencing among its multiple applicability, is also being used in academia for distance supervision purposes, academic meetings, or in the mental health community by practitioners to reach out to clients who don’t have the capability either due to their geographical location or other factors (e.g., disability, etc.) to be present at the therapist’s clinical site for a one-on-one meeting. Note to therapists:  Please check your State’s Licensure Board regulations and policies as it pertains to distance supervision and therapy.

So what are some of the HIPAA compliant videoconferencing telehealth platforms that can offer safety, reliability, and multi-layer security in every aspect?!! Below I am offering you a couple of suggestions of a few well known videoconferencing software available in the market:

• 1)      Doxy.me: A HIPAA compliant videoconferencing platform, that offers ultimate privacy, encryption, and security in every aspect. For more information, visit: https://doxy.me/

• 2)      Facetime (for Apple users): Unfortunately, as we discussed last week, Apple corporation refuses to sign a BAA. So again, if you are using Facetime it is a big NO.

• 3)      Google Hangout: Good news my friends!! While Google as personal a personal account is not HIPAA compliant, Google corporation offers to business or organizations a BAA. By doing so the user can use the Google Hangout app, as well as Gmail, google calendar, google drive and google vault and been HIPAA compliant.  For more information, visit: https://gsuite.google.com/terms/2015/1/hipaa_baa.html

• 4)      SecureVideo: A HIPAA compliant videoconferencing platform that offers a wide variety of features such as group calls, encrypted chat, screen and file sharing, and many more. For more information, please visit: https://www.securevideo.com/

• 5)      Skype:  Yes, everyone uses skype; it is very popular all around the world, it is free, but it is NOT HIPAA compliant, as Skype cooperation refuses to sign a business associate agreement (BAA). So, if you are using Skype for distance supervision or to provide distance therapy you might want to re-consider continue using it.

• 6)      Thera-Link: Another HIPAA compliant platform which helps you to connect with your clients or your supervisees, share documents, schedule appointments, and many more. For more information, visit: https://www.thera-link.com/

• 7)      VSee: VSee offers to its users a wide variety of HIPAA compliant application capabilities; from HIPAA Messenger (i.e., protected health information (PHI) via text, screen share, picture and video), to ready-to-go clinic with payments and scheduling. For more information, visit: https://vsee.com

• 8)      Wecounsel: Wecounsel is a behavioral telemedicine software for individual and group practices, that is HIPAA compliant. Wecounsel offers a 30-day free trial. For more information, visit: https://www.wecounsel.com/

• 9)      Zoom: Zoom offers a HIPAA compliant videoconferencing platform. This platform it is very easy to use, fast, reliable. It can be used in academia or to in virtual counseling for behavioral and mental health. For more information, visit: https://zoom.us/