Telemedicine is a booming industry right now. While caring for patients virtually has been around for many years, the number of patients being treated this way has exploded. While initially implemented to reach patients in rural areas, the current global public health crisis is driving telemedicine to fit patient’s needs, rural or urban.
As with many public services, the government regulates the healthcare industry. The United States and Canada protect the data-privacy of patients through HIPAA and PIPEDA, respectively. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act strives to “assure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of information needed to provide and promote high-quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well being”. PIPEDA, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act is HIPAA’s Canadian counterpart. Compliance with such regulations is critically important when providing health services.
Many larger health institutions have the ability to create their own telemedicine platforms, but what about smaller practices?
Here are the top teleconferencing platforms that are best suited for individual health care
Doxy.Me
- Doxy.me is the go-to telemedicine solution.
- Free for the patient and starting at $35/month for individual providers.
- Doxy.me is HIPAA, GDPR, PHIPA/PIPEDA, & HITECH compliant.
thera-LINK
- This telemedicine platform focuses on mental and behavioral telemedicine services.
- thera-LINK starts at $30/month for 5 sessions/month for one provider
- Good solution for those looking for a telehealth platform coupled with a client booking software.
Zoom
- Zoom has become synonymous with video conferencing.
- Built-in video conference background feature
- $200/month (includes 10 hosts)
- HIPAA (signed BAA) and PIPEDA compliant with 256-bit AES encryption.
Go To Meeting
- HIPAA Compliant
- Clear documentation of technical measures to safeguard data
- Robust encryption mechanisms
- Starts at $12/month for 1 professional
As smaller practices or individual care providers continue to bring additional health services online, it’s important that video conferencing is available and secure. These telehealth providers are enabling this health transformation by providing the services needed to bring medicine online!
