Although the existence of the Zoom application dates back two decades. But after the corona pandemic, the popularity of this app in education, health, and other institutions increased all over the world this is the reason it is used as one of the Telemedicine Platform. All types of business sizes have used this audio-video conferencing platform for communication.
Healthcare is the largest industry that uses the Zoom app for services to particular medical professionals. Among its many uses, most practitioners use the Zoom app as a telemedicine platform.
In this article, we will explore all aspects of how to use the zoom App for best practices of the telemedicine platform.
Is zoom HIPAA compliant?
We will not get any direct and to-the-point answer to this question. To find the answer to this, we require in-depth discussion.
In March 2020, the US Department of Health and Human Services released some guidelines for better communication through telehealth during Covid-19.
According to these guidelines, HIPAA violation penalties have been temporarily removed from some telemedicine appointments via zoom or other telemedicine platforms during the pandemic.
Prior to the enactment of these guidelines, Zoom was not fully HIPAA compliant, particularly for the Basic and Free plans. But now they offer HIPAA-compliant plans, designed specifically for healthcare.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Zoom as a telemedicine platform?
There is no doubt that zoom is a great app for streamlining communication during practice. But it is not without fault either. Along with a whole pack of benefits, it also has some disadvantages. As much as it is very important to know. So let’s examine its pros and cons.
Advantages
HIPAA compliant:
When you are choosing a tool for a telemedicine platform for your medical practice, you should choose a HIPAA-compliant one. As discussed in the beginning, Zoom follows HIPAA-compliant guidelines for medical practice.
Excellent features:
Zoom app is being used for real-time communication by all kinds of industries today because it offers a host of top-tier features. The audio and video quality of this app is superb.
It has transcription capabilities for audio content and closed captioning. Most importantly, it uses end-to-end encryption to keep meetings less vulnerable.
Easy integration:
Its biggest feature is that you don’t need to implement any more comprehensive technical skills to use the zoom app, so even elderly, non-technical patients can easily use the telemedicine platform. You can install it and start using it within minutes.
Disadvantages
Cost:
Although the Zoom app provides free access for telemedicine purposes, it is highly recommended to purchase the Zoom app’s healthcare plan for healthcare services.
Because these plans are HIPAA-compliant Secure and specially designed for the healthcare industry. The only downside is that the monthly cost of this plan is $200+ which is quite a lot.
Best practices for telemedicine appointments via Zoom!
Through the zoom app, you can establish clear and open communication with your patients. But you have to apply some best practices for telemedicine appointments.
Set up ahead of time:
You should start the sting up 30 minutes before your telemedicine appointment. This will give you sufficient time to correct any technical difficulties. It is a good idea to prepare a checklist before the telemedicine appointment.
Always introduce yourself:
If you are meeting the patient for the first time, introduce yourself first, always introduce yourself in a concise way before starting the consultation process and explain your role. This will make the patient feel comfortable and patient engagement will increase.
Do not interrupt your patients:
Be respectful and let your patient express himself fully. Give them enough time to fully inform you about their health concerns. Validate their concerns, and save your questions.
The more information you collect from your patient, the more accurate and better treatment you can provide to the patient. When the patient is speaking, keep your microphone muted so that there is no inconvenience, distraction, or disruption.
Final thoughts:
Is Zoom HIPAA compliant? Yes! But Apart from this, there are other steps you should take into account to keep patient data safe so that you don’t have to pay any fines. Apart from compliance, you should also consider how to conduct consultations on the telemedicine platform.
Hopefully, the information in this article will prove helpful to you.