Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: Is patient consent required under HIPAA before we can share encrypted communications with the patient?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: No, you do not need patient consent in this situation, provided the communications are encrypted and secured, and you’re following all the guidance for securing communications over your secure website or using some type of secure email service. You can use secure applications and secure texting. Once everything is properly secured, there is no consent involved because you’re not coming near any of the security violations or you’re not exposing the individuals to the risks that they might be exposed to otherwise.