- May 18, 2023
- Symphony Ragan, Content Specialist
In the healthcare industry, the security and privacy of patient PHI are top priorities. Because the standard use of paper files and records can pose a significant risk to patient document security, in recent years there’s been a shift towards using PDF documents and localized or secure cloud storage for management. This is not to mention the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 that was signed into law to promote the increased safety of patient PHI and easier access to patient records.
Transitioning to electronic documents was no easy feat for the healthcare industry, but it’s driven a much-needed shift that is allowed a more secure and stable method for creating, storing, and safely sharing documents between providers and patients, regardless of location.
While this shift to PDF electronic intake forms, prescriptions, chart notes, and more has been a positive thing for healthcare providers, the question often remains – how do we get these documents securely signed, sent, and stored while also keeping them private, secure, and abiding by HIPAA and CMS regulations?
The answer is choosing the right electronic signature solution, like Foxit eSign.
So, why Foxit eSign? What sets Foxit’s electronic signature solution apart from the competition and makes it the right choice for your healthcare organization? Let us take a look.
Higher Security Standards
We take the security and privacy of all documents very seriously here at Foxit; this is why we offer levels of security for our Foxit eSign users that ensure every document is under lock and key.
- Foxit eSign is SOC 2 Type 2 certified. Additionally, we are regularly audited by independent industry auditors to ensure strict compliance with the 5 Trust Service Principles. These principles include Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy.
- All documents are additionally protected with industry-grade 256-bit encryption and strict firewall controls – ensuring end to end protection throughout the entire document process.
Experience with Compliance and Regulatory Standards
Because healthcare organizations must comply with stringent industry regulations and standards, it’s imperative that the software and product solutions they use are able to support the needs required to adhere with these standards.
Foxit’s eSign software solutions are designed with healthcare needs in mind, and with that comes careful, detailed, and stringent measures put in place to protect both patient PHI and ensure your organization is always in compliance. Healthcare providers and patients can confidently sign with Foxit eSign knowing each document is not only legally binding but meets compliance standards as required. Every document signed in every department, in every location, and by every doctor, nurse, patient, and more through our eSign Pro Plans and up is compliant with:
- HIPAA
- ESIGN
- UETAS
Trusted Data Centers and Data Residency
Customers in any industry, let alone the healthcare industry, deserve to know exactly where their data and documents are being stored. Because we understand the importance of local data residency, we use Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers. This allows us to mitigate and maintain service levels should there be a failure so the last thing you need to worry about is loss of procedural use or access during critical times. All data centers used by Foxit eSign are SSAE16, SOC 2, Type 2 compliant, and PCI compliant, with facilities located throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Data residency should not just be an option for companies, but a requirement; that is why we provide server storage for your data in your region, which will be assigned upon your account creation.
Versatility of Use
Foxit eSign offers several access and signing options that make it more secure for healthcare documents. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two different authentication factors, such as a password and a verification code, to access any document.
Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) is another security feature that asks users to provide answers to personal questions, such as their social security number or mother’s maiden name, to verify their identity. This can be particularly useful for healthcare documents that contain sensitive information.
In addition, Foxit eSign also offers qualified electronic signatures (QES), which are legally binding and adhere to strict regulatory standards. QES provides the highest level of security and verification and is seen as the gold standard in legally binding signed documents. The QES level is often leveraged by government institutions and organizations requiring identity proof to meet and comply with stringent legal regulations and standards, including birth certificate requests, license applications, SSI documents, and more.
Overall, these security features provide healthcare users with multiple options for allowing patients to sign and access documents securely. By using 2FA, KBA, and QES, Foxit eSign helps ensure that healthcare documents are protected and comply with all necessary regulations and standards.
Detailed Auditing System
Foxit eSign offers a powerful and detailed auditing system to ensure the security and authenticity of all documents. Our auditing keeps comprehensive records of all actions performed with each document; this includes who viewed, edited, signed, or shared the document, and the time, date, and location of these actions. When this level of document tracking is available for organizations, it provides transparency for each document and integrity since all records are maintained and quickly available. Additionally, the Foxit eSign detailed auditing system can help detect and prevent fraudulent activities from happening before they ever occur.
In Conclusion – Better Security, More Document Control
Overall, Foxit eSign offers several security features that give healthcare users greater control over sensitive information and PHI. From robust security to complex and guaranteed compliance, the security features that Foxit offers through Foxit eSign give healthcare users the security features that ensure that control and document protection are always in place to keep their sensitive information safe and secure.