Securely faxing healthcare data

Solid use policies can help secure the transmission of sensitive data

By Healthcare Facilities Today


Fax machines have a number of potential security breaches, according to an article on the Working Home Guide website. While most people have heard about large computer breaches, few pay much attention to securing their fax transmissions. 

One of these breaches is simply human error, the article said. Poor communication lines, incompatible equipment, etc., can also be problematic. And faxes can sit on the machine for everyone to see until they are retrieved and dealt with.

According to the article, one of the most basic ways to secure faxes is to establish solid use policies. For example, a facility might have a policy of two people verifying that the proper number has been entered and that the machine is regularly checked and maintained.

It also may be wise to ensure that the fax machine or faxing service uses data encryption. This may also entail the use of an email-to-fax-machine protocol, which can enhance security if it is combined with a solid encryption protocol like PGP.

Read the article.

 

 



March 14, 2014


Topic Area: Maintenance and Operations


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