The Ehealth, Telehealth and Telemedicine Blog

Skype & HIPAA: What are the issues today?

As stated in an earlier blog post, it’s almost impossible to know for sure if Skype is HIPAA compliant for these reasons:

1. Skype is proprietary software so we do not have ready access to behind-the-scenes information

2. HIPAA was intentionally written as if a document that is meant to evolve as technology evolves.

Does Video Contact with Clients or Patients Require HIPAA Compliance?

If a US-based company isn’t claiming HIPAA compliance, my tendency is to recommend against using them for the delivery of telepsychiatry, telepsychology, online therapy or online counseling in the US, until they make claims for which they can be held accountable by our federal consumer protection agencies. That includes email, chat rooms, telephone or videoconferencing.

Email, Chat Rooms or Skype for Mental Health: What about Mandated Reporting?

Licensed professionals are obligated to follow an accepted “standard of care” that included procedures to use for mandated reporting. First, that standard of care has not yet been expanded to include email, chat room or videoconferencing via public, unsecured VOIP-based platforms. Which companies use VoIP-based platforms for online video conferencing? Skype, Google Talk and Oovoo.

HIPAA & Hijacked SKYPE Passwords: Another Security Violation that Brings Viability of Online Counseling via SKYPE into Yet More Questioning

Recent report of SKYPE security breach involving password hijacking. As a result, viability of SKYPE for telehealth service delivery is even more questionable if such security breaches cannot be stopped.

Is SKYPE Secured for Online Counseling?

If you are like many professionals who are toying with the idea of practicing online, you’ve probably been giving  consideration to whether or not Skype meets requirements for security. You may know about the type of security required for electronic medication with or about patients by laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [...]