Secure Email
14.07.2020
Communication between health agencies is an essential part of healthcare delivery. Digital communications like fax and e-mail have become the two most common communication tools used in the health sector, however the information communicated using these tools currently does not always comply with the Health Information Security Framework.
As a result, the Ministry of Health has reviewed the use of email & faxes as a way of transmitting health information such as prescriptions. The following changes to requirements are being implemented in the coming months, and the Ministry of Health needs to be notified when you are compliant.
It was a requirement that all pharmacies must confirm that the email they are using to send messages is being sent with a certain level of encryption by January 2020. If you use an email client application like Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or Windows Mail to send messages or are still operating on Windows 7, then you may not be complaint.
If you use a generic email provider then now might be the time to look at setting up email with a customer domain name, this can cost as little as $6 per month + setup and domain registration to provide a complaint mail system.
Replace Analogue faxes before December 2020
Faxes are no longer deemed a βsafeβ form of transmission either and you will need to replace your analogue fax with a digital alternative no later than December 2020. Modifying your processes to use email only or scan-to-email are a few alternatives to consider.