Skype or Factime ?

[mack86]

Also, I have always used phone and texting for my patients. I like texting because it gives me a record, also.

I don't do insurance at all, so I'm not sure what "meaningful use" is or if I have to worry about it.

[mack86]

Telemedicine is also accepted by the North Carolina medical board. (I think accepted is a better term than legal, because medical boards make their own rules and they don't necessarily have anything to do with law). I used Telemedicine to see my NC patients when I moved to another state. Agree with Robertsonjon that its not as good as in-person, but otherwise they would have been back on opiates as there is a shortage of doctors who will prescribe bup. I worked with another doctor who had counseling and UDS in his office.

[robertsonjon]

Telemedicine is legal here in Michigan.I often see patients via Skype. I leave the prescription for them in the office (5 hours away) ahead of time. It only works for patients who are stable and just need to come in, get tested, and we discuss how their treatment is going.

It's not as good as seeing people face to face, but it's certainly better than not seeing them at all, or just talking on the phone.

[Bruni]

This looks perhaps quite pertinent to this discussion. I registered.
Securing Mobile Patient Communication
http://www.himssmediawebinars.com/registration/webinar/securing-mobile-patient-communication

[drpasser]

For the legality, check with your state's medical board. It is also a great idea to run it past your liability company.

Best,
Kevin

[compchat57]

Many docs send emails to their patients regarding lab work results or needed follow up. How is that less secure then a post card or letter ?

[Bruni]

I have HIPAA compliant electronic faxing services through eFax Corporate and the cost is quite reasonable, plus being very easy to use. I looked into HIPAA compliant text-messaging because of this subtopic. TigerText Enterprise seems to be a reliable alternative among few others, but the cost is an initial $500 plus about $500 per month (requiring a minimum of ten users at $50 per month, as I recall). Not practical or economical for a one provider practice.
Many EMRs offer a patient messaging service as being HIPAA compliant, but if the software sends text messages or email from its server to the provider, that linkage has to be secured separately from the online message writing the patient does in the Patient Portal. It is a complex & confusing matter and hard to find answers

[fishdoc]

Neither Skipe nor Facetime is HIPAA compliant. Try programs such as HIPPAbridge, medchat and many others.