![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Fax.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut why are more health care organizations faxing in the era of electronic records?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EHRs Won\u2019t Talk to Each Other<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Electronic health record (EHR) systems have revolutionized how providers store, access and edit medical records, but software providers have taken a \u201cwalled garden\u201d approach in which solutions won\u2019t communicate directly with their competitors\u2019 systems. That means an intermediary is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Health Care, Compliance Is Non-Negotiable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Laws like HIPAA and GDPR have made regulatory compliance the bedrock of health care communications. Organizations that have breaches (from the outside or inside, intentional or accidental) suffer serious financial damage through severe fines, lost reputation and lost business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Communications containing protected health information must be secured. The only question is, what\u2019s the best way to do so?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Power of Universality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Just like the telephone, fax still maintains a \u201ckiller app\u201d that other secure information communications mediums have yet to touch: universality. As long as someone has a phone number and a receiving system (software or machine), you can fax them something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email and the Price of Security<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The same cannot be true of most of the other options on the market. From an \u201canyone-can-receive-it\u201d perspective, the closest alternative we have to fax is email, which is inherently insecure. That means you have to bolt on an extra layer of complex software and functionality to make email (or something like it) safe and HIPAA\/GDPR-compliant. The more you have to add to the system, the less likely it is the receiver will be able to access the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most file-sharing services are either insecure or require both sides of the conversation to have the same software, accounts and service. This may be fine if your organization is communicating with a business you work with on a daily basis. However, when you\u2019re trying to send someone\u2019s medical records to an independent pharmacy, new provider or small town where they need emergency care, aligning software solutions is a hassle no one needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fax Is Secure and Compliant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The fax\u2019s peer-to-peer nature and transmission over phone networks makes it secure and difficult to intercept in a way that complies with privacy-law requirements. As long as you don\u2019t have to deal with physical fax machines, transmitting documents in full compliance doesn\u2019t get much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MFP Connectors and Apps Enable Digital Transformation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Leading fax-server software developers recognize that the MFP is the on-ramp to enabling digital transformation. Whether it\u2019s fax server technology on premises or fax as a service in the cloud, MFP providers can now eliminate the analog fax cards. Instead, they can utilize fax-server connectors or apps depending on the manufacturer\u2019s development relationship with the fax-server providers. These connectors and apps allow faxes to travel via FoIP rather than Plain Old Telephone Switch (POTS) lines. This digital transformation merges the analog world of faxing to the digital world of document workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When selling MFPs with fax apps, it\u2019s important to ask your providers if their connectors use HTTPS (secure & encrypted delivery). Many use SMTP (email store and forward), which may pose increased risk of security breaches and non-compliance to regulations, as digital faxes are delivered to the fax server or cloud service as an email. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Old Technology and a Pragmatic Solution to Today\u2019s Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fax will eventually be replaced, but a proper alternative will need to be as secure, compliant with regulations and ubiquitous on a global scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the meantime, fax is an essential tool in the health care provider\u2019s communication portfolio. Even if an organization has been limping along with inadequate machines, there are modern alternatives available on the market, such as FoIP solutions, that can deliver on the medium\u2019s promise. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With all the advances made in communications in recent years, it may surprise you to hear that fax use is actually increasing. According to Arizton Advisory and Intelligence, the global fax services market is expected to reach a value of $2.88 billion in 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.18%. Modern fax solutions have evolved to send via software and internet connections. Using the Fax over IP (FoIP) protocol, these systems are literally fax without the machine\u2014a provider or insurer can send to and from a multifunction device, computer, tablet or mobile phone. They\u2019re more reliable, more compliant, better at automatic recordkeeping and cheaper than traditional fax machines. But why are more health care organizations faxing in the era of electronic records?\u00a0 EHRs Won\u2019t Talk to Each Other Electronic health record (EHR) systems have revolutionized how providers store, access and edit medical records, but software providers have taken a \u201cwalled garden\u201d approach in which solutions won\u2019t communicate directly with their competitors\u2019 systems. That means an intermediary is required. In Health Care, Compliance Is Non-Negotiable Laws like HIPAA and GDPR have made regulatory compliance the bedrock of health care communications. Organizations that have breaches (from the outside or inside, intentional or accidental) suffer serious financial damage through severe fines, lost reputation and lost business. Communications containing protected health information must be secured. The only question is, what\u2019s the best way to do so?\u00a0 The Power of Universality Just like the telephone, fax still maintains a \u201ckiller app\u201d that other secure information communications mediums have yet to touch: universality. As long as someone has a phone number and a receiving system (software or machine), you can fax them something. Email and the Price of Security The same cannot be true of most of the other options on the market. From an \u201canyone-can-receive-it\u201d perspective, the closest alternative we have to fax is email, which is inherently insecure. That means you have to bolt on an extra layer of complex software and functionality to make email (or something like it) safe and HIPAA\/GDPR-compliant. The more you have to add to the system, the less likely it is the receiver will be able to access the message. Most file-sharing services are either insecure or require both sides of the conversation to have the same software, accounts and service. This may be fine if your organization is communicating with a business you work with on a daily basis. However, when you\u2019re trying to send someone\u2019s medical records to an independent pharmacy, new provider or small town where they need emergency care, aligning software solutions is a hassle no one needs. Fax Is Secure and Compliant The fax\u2019s peer-to-peer nature and transmission over phone networks makes it secure and difficult to intercept in a way that complies with privacy-law requirements. As long as you don\u2019t have to deal with physical fax machines, transmitting documents in full compliance doesn\u2019t get much easier. MFP Connectors and Apps Enable Digital Transformation Leading fax-server software developers recognize that the MFP is the on-ramp to enabling digital transformation. Whether it\u2019s fax server technology on premises or fax as a service in the cloud, MFP providers can now eliminate the analog fax cards. Instead, they can utilize fax-server connectors or apps depending on the manufacturer\u2019s development relationship with the fax-server providers. These connectors and apps allow faxes to travel via FoIP rather than Plain Old Telephone Switch (POTS) lines. This digital transformation merges the analog world of faxing to the digital world of document workflows. When selling MFPs with fax apps, it\u2019s important to ask your providers if their connectors use HTTPS (secure & encrypted delivery). Many use SMTP (email store and forward), which may pose increased risk of security breaches and non-compliance to regulations, as digital faxes are delivered to the fax server or cloud service as an email. \u00a0 An Old Technology and a Pragmatic Solution to Today\u2019s Challenges Fax will eventually be replaced, but a proper alternative will need to be as secure, compliant with regulations and ubiquitous on a global scale. In the meantime, fax is an essential tool in the health care provider\u2019s communication portfolio. Even if an organization has been limping along with inadequate machines, there are modern alternatives available on the market, such as FoIP solutions, that can deliver on the medium\u2019s promise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":235,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3729],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36638"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/235"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36638"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36641,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36638\/revisions\/36641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}