Dr's office accepts fax, but not scan?

[MRG]

Or more likely the result of the burden of HIPAA, a ludicrously misunderstood, incomprehensible mess of regulations - nuclear weapon of rules used to kill a fly of a problem all because some stupid lawmaker's diagnosis of herpes was found out by his wife.


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As much as I share your love for HIPPA I don't think it's the reason. My last 3-4 years I w*rked I had to get HIPPA certified. The certification was probably a Megacorp internal thing that made it easier to fire me if I messed up. I had access to PHI(Protected Health Information) but no business reason to look at it. Seems pretty stupid to waste your time looking at other people's data much less jacking around with it.

Every year same training video same stupid exam. One of the highlights was watching "Jane" the poor lady that got canned for emailing PHI without encrypting it. No issues with email as long as it's encrypted, least for Megacorp's attorneys.

 

[youbet]

Doctor's and hospitals have resisted most of the changes that have occurred throughout the rest of the economy. I think it's because they don't have to change. They face such little competition.
.

No........ It's because of HIPPA and the doc's lawyers advising them of the best ways to achieve compliance and avoid mega lawsuits from litigious patients. If some of your very confidential med info is grabbed and mis-used, the doc or hospital wants to be compliant to whatever procedures would best shield him/them from your zillion dollar lawsuit.

 

[Gone4Good]

No........ It's because of HIPPA

That the lab won't take credit cards?

Meanwhile Quest Diagnostics (a different lab) e-mails test results and offers online payment. So it can't be all about HIPPA.

 

[akck]

All I can add is that my optometrist is working towards accepting email documents. She's married to a retired IT manager (worked in my wife's office), who I'm sure is managing her network. They're in the process of installing a HIPPA approved email system and already are set up for email and text appointment confirmations and reminders.

 

[youbet]

That the lab won't take credit cards?
.

No. Refer to my unedited post above and my reference to your confidential med info.

 

[Alan]

That the lab won't take credit cards?

Meanwhile Quest Diagnostics (a different lab) e-mails test results and offers online payment. So it can't be all about HIPPA.

For me Quest Diagnostics send an email telling me my results are ready and I log onto their secure website to see the results. The same goes for my primary doctor and cardiologist.

New lab results from Quest Diagnostics are now available in your MyQuest account. The format of the report may differ slightly from the copy your physician received. These results contain the most current information available at the time of this request.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your results, please contact your physician's office.

You can login and view your lab results by clicking here.

 

[Gone4Good]

For me Quest Diagnostics send an email telling me my results are ready and I log onto their secure website to see the results.

And from their website they allow you to e-mail the results with nothing more than a simple disclaimer.

 

[youbet]

And from their website they allow you to e-mail the results with nothing more than a simple disclaimer.

There ya go..... ! Compliant! Each time you want them to send you your info via non-secure email, you have to authorize it.

 

[Gone4Good]

There ya go..... ! Compliant!

So an entirely easy hurdle to clear. No reason everyone can't do that.

 

[youbet]

No reason everyone can't do that.

No, not really. But HIPPA and litigious patients are at the bottom of the quagmire and the root cause of the problem. Without HIPPA, labs, docs, hospitals, etc., would all be getting on board with the "modern electronic communication era" more quickly. Mine are all reasonable in this regard except for my primary care GP. I'd like to be able to access my decades of records they scanned into their system but, so far, they're not allowing this.

 

[Alan]

And from their website they allow you to e-mail the results with nothing more than a simple disclaimer.

There ya go..... ! Compliant! Each time you want them to send you your info via non-secure email, you have to authorize it.

So an entirely easy hurdle to clear. No reason everyone can't do that.

Exactly.

Traveling as much as we do I've tried really hard to get everything delivered and accessible electronically. Our apartment lease comes up for renewal usually while we are away and the last 3 years now it has been very easy since they have a secure website where we can review and electronically sign a lease.

Twice last year while traveling we received paper checks that were only valid for 90 days but our son picked them up for us from the mailbox, e-mailed photos of the checks and I was able to apply a signature on the back using adobe reader and make a mobile deposit.

 

[Gone4Good]

The last time I went to the doctor's office they had me sign a bunch of new forms. I don't remember what it was all for, but there's no reason one of those forms couldn't be a blanket authorization to conduct business electronically.

There's only one reason they don't do it: They don't care. They don't have to. They're the [-]phone company[/-] health care industry.

 

[youbet]

there's no reason one of those forms couldn't be a blanket authorization to conduct business electronically.

By conduct business, do you mean they send you bills, you make credit card payments and that sort of thing? Or, are you including sending you highly confidential medical reports, test results, scans, etc. ?

 

[kcowan]

Speaking of fax security...

I had a work phone number that was often confused with the direct number of a CEO of a tech company. I adopted the tactic of saying, Mr. CEO does not work here anymore. Problem went away in a week.

 

[MichaelB]

I was just reminded of this thread. DS needs copies of his college transcripts. All have two options, in person request or fax. One has an online option which he can't use (he lives abroad and it blocks non-US internet traffic) so I used it this morning. Their definition of online - once the credit card has been charged it links to a PDF which must be signed and faxed.

 

[Meadbh]

I was just reminded of this thread. DS needs copies of his college transcripts. All have two options, in person request or fax. One has an online option which he can't use (he lives abroad and it blocks non-US internet traffic) so I used it this morning. Their definition of online - once the credit card has been charged it links to a PDF which must be signed and faxed.

It is worth asking whether the signed PDF can be scanned and emailed.

 

[kcowan]

It is worth asking whether the signed PDF can be scanned and emailed.

Adobe reader offers the option of adding a signature (and text for date), then if you print to a PDF printer, you can email or fax the result. I often find places that accept the email (such as the accounting firm who verifies an investment holding). Otherwise Faxzero does it for free.

 

[kcowan]

I have also Fax a letter to my doctor asking for specific actions (usually a followup) and works better than leaving a message.

 

[braumeister]

I will have to make estimated tax payments to the state this year, and I was completely gobsmacked by the procedure.

They don't allow online estimated payments.

They also don't allow you to download and print the necessary forms. It seems they think their scanner can only deal with voucher forms printed by their own printer, so I had to make a phone call and ask them to mail me some voucher forms.

Now I must fill out their forms and snail mail them in so they can scan them and process my payments.

I miss the delightful aroma of mimeograph ink!

 

[Amethyst]

The Dr.'s office said No. I ended up mailing the forms with 2 stamps (they weighed over an ounce).

Interestingly, my tax CPA does accept a signed PDF as e-file authorization.

It is worth asking whether the signed PDF can be scanned and emailed.

 

[bUU]

So an entirely easy hurdle to clear. No reason everyone can't do that.

Precisely, and those who refuse to move forward do so at their own peril. While I have a number of reasons why I've switching GPs, without the office's reticence to adopt the safe, modern and convenient technology we're talking about, I probably would have muddled through with the other concerns. It is surely not important, by itself, to drive me to another doctor, but it is enough to be the straw that breaks the camel's back.