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Healthcare conversations rarely happen through one channel. Providers can take a client call, send an appointment text, review a voicemail, and discuss treatment through video before the day ends.
However, convenience raises a compliance concern when protected health information is transmitted via personal numbers or ordinary business apps. Those services can blur the line between private and professional communication, especially on a personal device.
Therefore, choosing HIPAA-compliant communication tools for healthcare teams requires close review. First, confirm that the provider signs a Business Associate Agreement.
Next, examine encryption, account permissions, and the channels approved for PHI. Finally, compare pricing and daily communication needs.
The six platforms below serve different purposes.
Among them, iPlum offers the best overall choice for therapists, private practices, and smaller healthcare organizations seeking secure calling and texting at a predictable price.
Table of Contents
1. What are HIPAA-compliant communication tools?
2. What should you look for in a HIPAA-compliant communication platform?
3. HIPAA-compliant communication tools compared
4. HIPAA-compliant communication tools FAQs
5. Get secure healthcare calling and texting with iPlum
What are HIPAA-compliant communication tools?
HIPAA-compliant communication tools are software services designed to transmit or store electronic protected health information, with administrative, physical, and technical safeguards in place.
However, HIPAA doesn't award apps an official certification badge. A vendor can provide appropriate technology and contract terms, but your organization remains responsible for secure configuration, account access, communication policies, and workforce training.
A signed BAA is another central requirement when a technology provider creates, receives, maintains, or transmits ePHI for your organization. The agreement defines how the vendor protects information and responds to security incidents.
Buyers must still examine individual features. A service might offer HIPAA-configured voice calls but prohibit PHI in ordinary SMS. Likewise, encrypted app messaging and standard carrier texting aren't equivalent. HHS explains the Security Rule requirements for regulated organizations and business associates.
What should you look for in a HIPAA-compliant communication platform?
Below are some must-haves for any HIPAA-compliant platforms worth your attention:
- A signed Business Associate Agreement: Confirm that the vendor signs a BAA for your plan and communication channels. A voice BAA doesn't automatically apply to SMS, video, fax, or optional integrations.
- Protected calling, texting, and voicemail: Identify which channels can carry PHI. Secure messages need an encrypted channel. Voicemail, recordings, and transcriptions also require protected storage and restricted access.
- Encryption and account security: Look for encryption, multifactor authentication, password policies, secure client messages, and protected stored data. Ask how administrators secure a lost phone.
- User permissions and account administration: Administrators should add authorized users, assign permissions, and revoke access after a departure or device loss. Individual accounts provide accountability.
- Communication records: Review message history, audit logs, retention periods, export options, and deletion rules. Compliance obligations can require records after a conversation ends.
Also, consider pricing and patient requirements. Compare monthly charges, contracts, setup costs, usage fees, and add-ons. Check if patients must download an app, create an account, or use a portal.
HIPAA-compliant communication tools compared
1. iPlum
iPlum gives healthcare professionals a dedicated business phone number on their existing smartphones. Calls, secure texts, voicemail, and business contacts remain separate from personal communication.
Therapists can select a local or toll-free number or port an existing number. The iPlum line has its own calling screen, notifications, ringtone, caller ID, voicemail, and communication history. Consequently, clients receive a professional number rather than the therapist's personal number.
iPlum provides two texting options. Standard SMS works for general messages that don't contain PHI. Meanwhile, encrypted secure channels are designed for confidential client conversations. A therapist sends an invitation, and the client creates a free iPlum account. The client can then reply through the mobile app or online portal.
The Professional plan provides a BAA, HIPAA-compliant calling, secure voicemail, web access, scheduled messages, templates, and one-year text archiving. Group practices can create subaccounts, assign numbers, revoke access, and route calls through a phone tree.
As a result, iPlum works as a secure phone app for therapists, home healthcare professionals, and private medical practices. It provides essential communication functions at a predictable price.
Key features
- Dedicated healthcare number: Add a separate business line to an existing iPhone, Android phone, tablet, or Chromebook.
- HIPAA-compliant calling: Make and receive business calls over the cellular voice network, Wi-Fi, and mobile data.
- Encrypted client messaging: Create bidirectional, secure text channels for conversations that contain patient information.
- Free client access: Invite clients to use a free iPlum account through the app or app-less online portal.
- Business call settings: Set business hours, voicemail greetings, caller ID, call forwarding, and out-of-office messages.
- Phone tree: Route callers through auto-attendant greetings, extensions, transfers, and multiple inbound paths.
- Messaging functions: Use scheduled texts, templates, group messages, broadcast texts, text-to-email, and business contacts.
- Account administration: Create subaccounts for authorized users and revoke access after a role change, departure, or device loss.
- Web access: Make calls and manage messages through the web portal or mobile app.
- Communication records: Retain one year of text history under the Professional plan.
Pros
- Combines a real business number, secure calls, encrypted messages, and voicemail.
- Separates professional communication from a personal mobile number.
- Gives clients mobile app and online portal options for secure conversations.
- Costs considerably less than broader patient engagement platforms.
- Serves solo therapists and group practices with several authorized users.
Cons
- Clients must accept an invitation and create a free account before entering an encrypted text channel.
Pricing
The iPlum Professional plan costs $14.99 per user per month with annual billing, or $20.99 per user per month with monthly billing. It provides HIPAA compliance, a BAA, secure, encrypted texting, web calling and texting, voicemail transcription, and one-year text archiving.
Meanwhile, the Enterprise plan costs $25.99 per user per month, billed annually. It adds call recording, consent announcements for recordings, and 10-year archives of recorded calls and text messages. Consequently, Enterprise suits healthcare organizations with longer retention requirements or policies that require the recording of client conversations.
2. Klara
Klara, now offered through ModMed Patient Engagement, combines patient messaging, appointment communication, digital intake, and scheduling.
Call-to-text turns calls and transcribed voicemails into encrypted conversations. Therefore, Klara suits medical practices using ModMed. Its broader scope can prove costly for therapists seeking only a secure number and messaging.
Key features
- Patient texting: Exchange messages through an app-free texting process.
- Call-to-text: Move incoming calls and voicemail conversations into encrypted message threads.
- Appointments: Send scheduling information, reminders, and follow-up messages.
- Digital intake: Collect patient details before an appointment.
- Broadcast messaging: Send updates to selected patient groups.
Pros
- Patients don't have to install an app for routine messages.
- Works well for practices using ModMed.
Cons
- Its scope can exceed a solo therapist's needs.
- Public pricing isn't available.
Pricing
Klara requires a custom quote for plan and implementation costs.
3. OhMD
OhMD combines patient texting with voice, video, scheduling, and call automation. Practices can text from an existing landline and transfer callers into text threads.
Automatic routing sends messages to the appropriate department. EHR integrations add communication details to patient records. The price can exceed a solo therapist's budget.
Key features
- Patient SMS: Send and receive messages from a text-enabled practice number.
- Voice and video: Place calls and conduct video conversations.
- Call-to-text: Transfer a caller into a text thread.
- Message routing: Send requests to the correct recipient.
- Scheduling: Automate appointment requests and related communication.
- EHR integrations: Work with more than 85 systems.
Pros
- Provides several communication channels.
- Suits high message volumes.
Cons
- Costs more than a dedicated second line.
- Published starting plans require annual commitments.
- Voice usage attracts separate charges.
Pricing
OhMD pricing starts at $300 monthly. Workflow routing, voice automation, and scheduling start at $500 monthly. Calling usage costs extra.
4. Weave
Weave combines medical office phones with patient texting, reminders, scheduling, and payment communication. Patient information appears beside the communication history.
The platform suits established practices seeking front-office communication. However, a solo therapist can pay for more functionality than is required.
Key features
- Medical office phones: Manage calls through a business phone system.
- Patient texting: Send and receive messages from the practice number.
- Appointment messages: Send reminders and scheduling updates.
- Payment communication: Send payment requests and billing messages.
- Virtual receptionist: Respond to common caller requests automatically.
Pros
- Combines communication with front-office workflows.
- Suits established and multi-location medical practices.
Cons
- Costs more than a standalone therapist communication app.
- Public plan prices aren't available.
- Smaller practices can pay for functions they don't require.
Pricing
Weave provides a custom quote. Buyers should request the total cost for phones, texting, implementation, and selected patient engagement functions.
6. TigerConnect
TigerConnect provides encrypted messaging through mobile and desktop devices. Hospital users can find colleagues by role, route messages to on-call clinicians, and attach EHR patient context.
Administrative tools provide audit logs, message expiration, and remote revocation. Patient messaging doesn't require an app or login. Its enterprise scope can exceed a small practice's requirements.
Key features
- Role-based messaging: Find clinicians through role or on-call status.
- Delivery records: See when messages are sent, delivered, and read.
- Message control: Recall messages and set automatic expiration periods.
- Secure attachments: Send media, voice recordings, and documents.
- Patient context: Attach EHR references to conversations.
- Administration: Review audit logs and revoke access remotely.
Pros
- Designed for hospital and clinical communication.
- Provides detailed administrative controls.
Cons
- Enterprise scope can be excessive for small practices.
- Public pricing isn't available.
- Implementation can involve several integrations.
Pricing
TigerConnect requires a custom quote based on selected modules, integrations, and user count.
HIPAA-compliant communication tools FAQs
What communication tools can healthcare professionals use under HIPAA?
Healthcare professionals can use calling, texting, video, fax, and clinical messaging platforms that provide appropriate safeguards, approved configurations, access restrictions, and, when required in practice, a signed Business Associate Agreement.
Can therapists text clients under HIPAA?
Yes. Therapists can text clients through an approved, secure channel with encryption, appropriate account access, a vendor BAA, suitable policies, and patient communication preferences documented securely by the practice beforehand.
Does signing a BAA make a communication app HIPAA compliant?
No. A BAA establishes vendor responsibilities, but the healthcare organization must configure accounts securely, restrict access, train authorized users, assess security risks, and carefully follow privacy policies in daily communication.
What is the best secure phone app for therapists?
iPlum is the best secure phone app for therapists seeking a separate business number, HIPAA-compliant calling, encrypted client texting, protected voicemail, account administration, and predictable per-user pricing on smartphones today.
How much do HIPAA-compliant communication tools cost?
Prices range from $14.99 per user per month for iPlum Professional with annual billing to several hundred dollars per month for broader patient engagement platforms. Enterprise clinical systems require custom quotes today.
Get secure healthcare calling and texting with iPlum
Broader patient engagement and hospital platforms can carry high monthly costs. iPlum gives healthcare professionals essential communication capabilities on their existing smartphones.
For $14.99 per user monthly with annual billing, the Professional plan provides a dedicated business number, HIPAA-compliant calling, encrypted client messaging, secure voicemail, web access, a phone tree, text archiving, and a signed BAA.
Protect your personal number and move confidential conversations into approved business channels.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes and may not reflect the most current features or capabilities of the products or companies mentioned. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official sources of each company.
