VSee is one exception that can be used for no fee. If, as other services, particularly cloud-based hosting services, have done, Skype changes it policy and will enter into business associate agreement, it would appear that using it could be HIPAA compliant. However, Skype neither provides a BA Agreement nor claims to be HIPAA Compliant. The issue, however, was cleared up by HIPAA’s enforcing agency, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services, by the end of 2013. VSee Clinic is a simple, secure way for you to hold a telehealth consultation with your provider from anywhere. VSee Clinic allows HIPAA-compliant chat and video calls. It’s encrypted, so your. VSee support staff hours are from 6AM-6PM PT (Mon-Fri).
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for enforcing certain regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, to protect the privacy and security of protected health information, namely the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules (the HIPAA Rules).
Telehealth Discretion During Coronavirus
During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules.
OCR will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This notification is effective immediately.
A covered health care provider that wants to use audio or video communication technology to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency can use any non-public facing remote communication product that is available to communicate with patients. OCR is exercising its enforcement discretion to not impose penalties for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth using such non-public facing audio or video communication products during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This exercise of discretion applies to telehealth provided for any reason, regardless of whether the telehealth service is related to the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions related to COVID-19.
For example, a covered health care provider in the exercise of their professional judgement may request to examine a patient exhibiting COVID- 19 symptoms, using a video chat application connecting the provider’s or patient’s phone or desktop computer in order to assess a greater number of patients while limiting the risk of infection of other persons who would be exposed from an in-person consultation. Likewise, a covered health care provider may provide similar telehealth services in the exercise of their professional judgment to assess or treat any other medical condition, even if not related to COVID-19, such as a sprained ankle, dental consultation or psychological evaluation, or other conditions.
Under this Notice, covered health care providers may use popular applications that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, Zoom, or Skype, to provide telehealth without risk that OCR might seek to impose a penalty for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules related to the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. Providers are encouraged to notify patients that these third-party applications potentially introduce privacy risks, and providers should enable all available encryption and privacy modes when using such applications.
Under this Notice, however, Facebook Live, Twitch, TikTok, and similar video communication applications are public facing, and should not be used in the provision of telehealth by covered health care providers.
Covered health care providers that seek additional privacy protections for telehealth while using video communication products should provide such services through technology vendors that are HIPAA compliant and will enter into HIPAA business associate agreements (BAAs) in connection with the provision of their video communication products. The list below includes some vendors that represent that they provide HIPAA-compliant video communication products and that they will enter into a HIPAA BAA.
- Skype for Business / Microsoft Teams
- Updox
- VSee
- Zoom for Healthcare
- Doxy.me
- Google G Suite Hangouts Meet
- Cisco Webex Meetings / Webex Teams
- Amazon Chime
- GoToMeeting
- Spruce Health Care Messenger
Note: OCR has not reviewed the BAAs offered by these vendors, and this list does not constitute an endorsement, certification, or recommendation of specific technology, software, applications, or products. There may be other technology vendors that offer HIPAA-compliant video communication products that will enter into a HIPAA BAA with a covered entity. Further, OCR does not endorse any of the applications that allow for video chats listed above.
Under this Notice, however, OCR will not impose penalties against covered health care providers for the lack of a BAA with video communication vendors or any other noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules that relates to the good faith provision of telehealth services during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.
OCR has published a bulletin advising covered entities of further flexibilities available to them as well as obligations that remain in effect under HIPAA as they respond to crises or emergencies at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/february-2020-hipaa-and-novel-coronavirus.pdf.
Guidance on BAAs, including sample BAA provisions, is available at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/covered-entities/sample-business-associate-agreement-provisions/index.html.
Additional information about HIPAA Security Rule safeguards is available at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/index.html.
HealthIT.gov has technical assistance on telehealth at https://www.healthit.gov/telehealth.
SCREEN SHARE
Screen sharing is when you share application window/s on your screen or your entire desktop.
Screen sharing is only possible while in a video call. While sharing you can annotate, type text, and use the remote control features. You can share multiple windows at a time. On mobile devices, it is currently not supported however receiving shared and annotated screens are supported.
SCREEN SHARE A WINDOW OR ENTIRE DESKTOP
1. While in a call, click on the green Share button located on the upper right corner of any window. An orange border will appear around a window if it is being shared.
2. To unshare, click Unshare.
3. Another way to screen share a window or desktop is to click Share located on the video window. To unshare, click Share then Stop Sharing.
4. Another way to screen share is to open the VSee Messenger app, click on the 3 horizontal dots > Call / Meeting > Share Desktop or Share Application.
To unshare, Call / Meeting > Unshare Desktop or Stop sharing the window.
SCREEN SHARE A VIDEO
Vsee Hipaa Compliant Telemedicine Platform
While you can technically share a video, we do not recommend it as the screen sharing feature is not designed for that. There may be no audio or the shared video's quality will be affected. We recommend sending the video file via chat or video call instead.
Is Vsee Messenger Hipaa Compliant
ANNOTATE ON A SHARED SCREEN
Hipaa Compliant Phone
1. To annotate, click Pen or Text. To choose an ink color, click Color.
2. To clear all annotations, click Clear.
3. To stop annotating, click Pen orText respectively again.
REMOTE CONTROL A SHARED SCREEN
All participants in the same call can control a screen or desktop that is being shared. If someone is sharing a screen, click Take Remote Control. To release control, click the same button again.
DISALLOW REMOTE CONTROL
If you are sharing a screen and do not want others to control what you are sharing, click Disallow Remote.
SCREEN SHARING LIMIT
Free basic VSee Messenger users can only do one screen share session per day. If you signed up just recently, your account automatically gets a free 30-day trial of VSee Pro subscription which lets you enjoy unlimited screen sharing all day for 1 month.
Want to upgrade to VSee Pro (unlimited screensharing + signed BAA for HIPAA compliance)? Please contact us at https://vsee.com/contactsales.
HIDE SCREEN SHARING TOOLS
Hipaa Compliant Video Chat
To hide your screen sharing tools (Pen, Text, Color, Clear, Disallow Remote and Unshare buttons), click on the 3 horizontal dots > Share > Hide Screen Sharing Tools. To unhide, do the same steps.
Vsee Hipaa Compliant