One attorney said a total ban would be “Like going back to the dark ages.”ĬMS explained that concern about text messages in healthcare was not just about transmission security. Nina Youngstrom, Managing Editor of the Report on Medicare Compliance, said in the article that several compliance officers and healthcare attorneys were horrified about the position of the CMS. HCCA said in its Report on Medicare Compliance, that at least two hospitals had received emails from the CMS explaining all forms of text messaging were prohibited. In December, the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) published an article questioning the stance of the CMS. This resulted in the no texting determination.” In the emails, the CMS said, “After meeting with vendors regarding these products, it was determined they cannot always ensure the privacy and confidentiality of PHI of the information being transmitted. The use of secure messaging platforms was raised with the CMS by some hospitals however, the position of the CMS, based on the emails, appeared to be a total ban on the use of text messages in healthcare, even the use of secure messaging platforms. transmission security, access and authentication controls, audit controls, and safeguards to ensure the integrity of PHI. While this is understandable as far as SMS messages are concerned, many secure messaging applications satisfy all the requirements of HIPAA – e.g. The CMS was concerned that the use of text messages in healthcare will lead to the exposure of sensitive patient data and could threaten the integrity of medical records. In November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) explained in emails to healthcare providers that the use of text messages in healthcare is prohibited due to concerns about HIPAA compliance, security, and patient privacy. CMS Clarifies Position on Use of Text Messages in Healthcare
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