If you have a healthcare application in your idea list, then this is the right time for it. Healthcare app development is indeed quite challenging and the hardest part is making your application HIPAA compliant.
If your plan is to include Scalable communication API features like messaging and video conferencing then a HIPAA-compliant chat API is essential for this.
In this article, we cover all about what a HIPAA-compliant API is and the three factors that measure a HIPAA compliant chat API for your mobile and that app.
What is HIPAA compliance?
HIPAA compliance is a tool that works as per the HIPAA rules.
HIPAA has two components, namely privacy and security. And these elements are essential to maintain and access the secure and confidential use of the Personal Healthcare Information of patients.
HIPAA compliance requires patients to give their consent before the information gets shared. It also allows patients to designate somebody to represent them.
The HIPAA standards to store health data and other related transactions offer the surety that everyone involved is signing from the same sheet. And all HIPAA-compliant organizations must use the same code with all nationally recognized identifiers. This is important because it helps to a great extent while transferring electronic health information between healthcare providers, health plans, and other organizations that are involved.
What is PHI?
PHI is Protected Health Information.
The HIPAA compliance rule protects the personal health information which is in the custody of various entities. It places the patients in a position of authority where they own an array of rights concerning their health information about them.
But simultaneously, the HIPAA rule also allows disclosure of personal health information if it is needed for the purpose of offering quality essential healthcare to patients. In this manner, OTT platforms must be HIPAA compliant to make them better representatives for the patients by offering secure information exchange between the doctors and their patients.
PHI is any health information that is about an individual and is the predicted health information that includes several identifiers like names. But if the identifiers are removed, the information is counted in the PHI. This means they are no longer subjected to the HIPAA privacy rule.
Should Healthcare apps be HIPAA compliant?
Healthcare apps need to be HIPAA compliant as they serve as the medium for doctors and patients to share sensitive health information about the patients and the level of healthcare being provided.
According to HIPAA regulations, if you belong to covered entities or business associates, then you have to be HIPAA compliant. If you are a healthcare provider or a healthcare clearinghouse or someone that is working with health plans, you have to be HIPAA compliant in the case of business associates, that provide data transmission, data processing, data storage, medical transcription or external auditing, then you have to be HIPAA compliant.
HIPAA compliance reduces healthcare abuse and eliminates the chances of any possible fraud. It sets a high-level standard for any healthcare business in the way patient information is handled.
How can you choose a chat API and SDK that are HIPAA compliant?
While choosing a HIPAA compliant OTT provider, you have to be careful to make sure that it is also well-known. If you identify that you have to be HIPAA compliant, then there are three factors you have to consider.
If you identify that you have to be HIPAA compliant, there are three factors you have to consider.
- HIPAA compliant claim
- Price.
- Support.
Most popular chat APIs for healthcare that are compliant with HIPAA regulations
CONTUS MirrorFly
CONTUS MirrorFLy is a user-friendly API that enables easy access to healthcare. It offers top-notch connectivity between healthcare givers and their patients with no compromise on security.
Does CONTUS MirrorFly have HIPAA compliance?
Yes, CONTUS MirrorFly is HIPAA compliant. It is HIPAA compliant and ensures that patients' sensitive data is secured against any scam. It provides a privacy configuration that includes end-to-end encryption.
Pricing
Its pricing varies between easy, essential, and premium models. The easy model is free and the essentials cost Rs.30,000 per month. Premium comes at Rs.75,000 per month.
SendBird
SendBird is a healthcare API that offers access to virtual healthcare with a personal touch at all times. Facilitating real-time communication between doctors and patients simplifies the provision of individualized healthcare.
Is SendBird HIPAA compliant?
SendBird is a HIPAA compliant messaging API. It offers personal experiences to patients. It helps doctors to offer seamless care through HIPAA compliant in-app communications that make connection easy.
Pricing
The pricing option of SendBird varies between developer, starter and pro packages. The developer package is free which allows experimenting with chat. It allows 100 concurrent connections. The starter pack cost is $399 per month. And the pro package cost is $599 per month.
Vonage
Vonage is a healthcare solutions provider which connects doctors with patients to deliver real-time healthcare experiences from anywhere in the world. It includes video, voice, SMS, chat social media and Vonage’s cloud-based communication.
Is Vonage HIPAA compliant?
Vonage operates with HIPAA compliance. For most of its products, it has achieved HITRUST CSF certification. This is the most commonly used security framework in the US in the healthcare industry.
Pricing
The new pricing is available at the site. You can contact them directly to get customized pricing according to your needs.
Conclusion
We have covered everything about HIPAA compliance and we have listed out the top 3 HIPAA compliant chat APIs that can be suitable for your needs in the healthcare industry.
Make sure that your OTT provider is HIPAA compliant as this may have a huge effect on how your app will be handling customer information.
According to what we have mentioned HIPAA compliance depends on the major key factors, price, quality and support. These key factors determine which one can be the best API to suit your healthcare business needs.
