Wiki Emailing documents

[SienTC1720]

We are a billing company for quite a few offices in the area. Patients sometimes ask us to email their invoice/bill, but we don't have secure email. When we take credit card payments, the site we use for those has the option to email receipts but they sometimes would like the bill as well.

If we tell the patient we don't have secure email, and let them know their info isn't kept private on the web, and they consent and/or don't care about that, can we send things like that through unsecure email? We use gmail, if that helps any

 

[mbmolyneaux]

Yes, you can send invoices or bills via unsecured email ONCE you make the patient aware of the risks of sending phi via unsecured email and you receive the patient's consent. ALWAYS document the patient's consent. Please see the link below to the HHS website in regards to this question.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/570/does-hipaa-permit-health-care-providers-to-use-email-to-discuss-health-issues-with-patients/index.html