As a provider of patient portal, SaaS (software as a service) applications, and hosting solutions to the healthcare industry, we get asked this question a lot. Before we can answer it question correctly, we must first understand how HIPAA relates to software and hosting, and what is involved in HIPAA compliant IT. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was enacted in 1996 to address the growing use of technology in healthcare, specifically the transaction of health information …

For background on the mHealth app study, and the utilization of apps in hospitals and health systems , please be sure to read Part I of this series: Healthcare App Development Market is Not Meeting Patient Needs. Why Hasn’t Hospital App Development Been Able to Overcome this Major Hurdle? Perhaps one of the most important findings from our research is that similar functionalities can vary greatly from one health system to the next; hospital app development is not …

Healthcare website design is a unique field in that visual appeal and excellent UI/UX aren’t the only considerations. Websites must also be HIPAA compliant. To avoid penalties, it’s important to recognize that attention to the protection of personal health information (PHI) is as important in healthcare web development as it is in securely storing and transferring patient records. Whether you are developing a brand new HIPAA compliant website, or simply want peace of mind regarding your current website and …

Despite regulations surrounding the use of social media within the healthcare industry, there are enormous gains to be made from utilizing social media, from increasing patient engagement to acquiring new patients. Here, we look at why the role of social media is growing in healthcare, and how to make the most of this channel within healthcare internet marketing while still ensuring HIPAA compliance. Healthcare Social Media Perks Research data repeatedly indicate that patient outcomes improve when patients are involved …

With demand for online access to medical records on the rise among web- and health-savvy patients, leveraging technology like patient portals and electronic medical records can help healthcare organizations with patient acquisition and engagement, as well as meeting MACRA thresholds for better coordinated, higher quality care. In order for patients to take advantage of the online tools you offer, a well-developed messaging strategy is essential. Your patient-targeted messaging should answer questions like: “What is an EMR?” “How are …

Despite a booming healthcare app development industry, the apps being released are still sub-par. As early as 2014, industry research leaders like Deloitte, Frost & Sullivan and Accenture were heralding the benefits and high growth rate of the nascent mobile healthcare app development market. The growing global access to data networks and low-cost smart devices provided a unique opportunity to capitalize on more direct access to patients and further enable providers at the point-of-care.

When it comes to cost saving through healthcare application development, the audience where a healthcare organization will see the greatest value is among senior citizens. This is the argument made by Bridge Patient Portal’s Rebecca Brunelle, CPNP, in a recent article about healthcare IT and technology training for this growing population.

In light of recent ransomware attacks on global organizations, specifically the WannaCry malware that affected the National Health Service in the UK, we know that you may have concerns about how we are managing your data and what systems we have in place to protect it. Information security continues to be of utmost importance to us and we would like to explain more about the recent attacks, ongoing threats, and how we’re protecting you. Ransomware, like the recent …

Mobile technology is becoming an essential tool for healthcare providers and their patients. If your healthcare organization is looking to invest, it’s important to consider how the technology you choose will impact cost, ROI, and the quality of the end product. Download the Free Guide Here.

In a Bridge Patient Portal article last week, nurse practitioner and healthcare tech writer Rebecca Brunelle discussed the importance of choosing the right Chronic Care Management software. Asking the right questions is the key to helping your healthcare organization to take advantage of the benefits provided by Chronic Care Management (CCM), namely improved health outcomes and annual revenue increases in the ballpark of $500 to $1,600 per patient.