Top 3 HIPAA Compliant Chat API & SDK for Healthcare Mobile & Web Apps

The COVID-19 pandemic has extensively affected the healthcare system. Reports suggest that the global mobile medical apps market is much in demand and could grow over 11 billion dollars by 2025. So, if you want to build a healthcare application and don’t know where to start from, here are the top three HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK for healthcare apps. But before we get to the real-time messaging solutions for healthcare platforms let’s understand what is HIPAA compliance.

What is HIPAA compliance?

HIPAA referred to as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Under HIPAA, applications have to adhere to a series of regulatory standards. These regulatory standards define the lawful use of data and protect the disclosure of health-related information. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regulates, enforces, and certifies HIPAA compliance.

Being HIPAA compliant basically means that the data and crucial information of the entities and business associates mentioned under the application are protected.

What is PHI?

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. PHI is any health-related information that is associated with a person. Protected health information is details or facts that help in identifying the patients – such as their names, linked dates, account numbers, etc. 

If the identifiers are removed the information is considered de-identified protected health information and they are not subjected to data protection under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.  

Here are some examples of PHI:

Medical Records

Patient’s History

Chats between Patient & Doctors

Patient’s Billing Information

Insurance Details 

Why do healthcare apps need to be HIPAA compliant?

Real-time messaging solutions for healthcare platforms are required to be HIPAA compliant as per universal standards. HIPAA guarantees that real-time messaging solutions for healthcare apps handle PHI, which is crucial information for covered entities and business associates in an ethical and standardized manner. HIPAA safeguards data and prevents identity theft, fraud, and blackmail under all healthcare apps.

How should developers choose the right HIPAA Compliant Chat API & SDK to build a healthcare application?

To build HIPAA compliant healthcare apps and adhere to all the protocols put forth by HIPAA – developers need to choose the right chat API & SDK.

HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK for healthcare apps are capable tools to build HIPAA compliant healthcare app with abundant benefits. Developers must opt for chat APIs & SDKs that allow secure sharing and transferring of real-time data between patients, covered entities, and healthcare providers. Developers who build real-time messaging solutions for healthcare platforms must closely monitor and avoid HIPAA violations. Hence, while choosing the right HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK developers must make sure that sensitive and personal information is properly regulated, has multi-level data protection, and provides compliance prevention tools.

Here are the three key factors to pay attention to while choosing the right HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK for healthcare apps:

  1.       Ensure HIPAA compliance

HIPAA is about protecting the privacy and warranting data security. Developers must ensure and work with the confidence that the API or SDK they have opted for follows the HIPAA guidelines. They must also check if the API or SDK improves the adoption of the app and enhances patient engagement adhering to the protocols of HIPAA. Ultimately the agenda is to protect patient data under the law and offer a better user experience.

  1.       Price

Real-time messaging API for telehealth apps with HIPAA compliance is usually expensive. Hence, finding an API or SDK solution that offers an affordable pricing structure is a must. However, with the affordable pricing developers must not be limited. They should have the liberty to launch the app quickly, embed a widget in minutes, and customize extensively with advanced features under the guidelines of HIPAA.

  1.       Support

Adapting HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK for healthcare apps also provides additional support services. Such as a business associate (BA) – who is a technology partner that helps set up HIPAA compliant video calling and messaging SDK.

Top 3 HIPAA compliant chat API & SDK providers for healthcare mobile and web apps:

1. CONTUS MirrorFly

Overview:

CONTUS MirrorFly is the perfect chat API and SDK solution provider to build real-time messaging solutions for healthcare apps. CONTUS MirrorFly lets the healthcare sector cultivate a connected ecosystem with their patients. Healthcare providers can develop applications by integrating customizable CONTUS MirrorFly chat APIs and SDKs to boost and simplify communication between the patients and their doctors.

Is CONTUS MirrorFly HIPAA compliant?

Yes, CONTUS MirrorFly is HIPAA compliant and safeguards patient’s sensitive information. At CONTUS MirrorFly, the healthcare communication software is developed with multi-layers of security and protection. It has a reliable distribution infrastructure that offers end-to-end encryption, privacy configuration, and shields against data exposure.

Effective Features & Affordability:

CONTUS MirrorFly is one of the best chat API and SDK solution providers with a lot of effective features. With CONTUS MirrorFly, the healthcare sector can have an extensive reach and offer care for patients at various levels. Moreover, features such as a 1-to-1 doctor-patient chat system, a global video call facility across devices, high-quality media sharing, etc enable remote patients to get treatment over the web and mobile applications. Likewise, CONTUS MirrorFly is also affordable compared to the other service providers in the market and charges only a one-time-license cost.

2. SendBird

SendBird is a leading API service provider for mobile and web applications with text, voice, and video capabilities. SendBird’s chat and messaging SDKs and APIs let developers customize and develop real-time messaging solutions for healthcare apps. With SendBird – developers can build in-app chat, voice, and video communication systems and empower patients to interact with healthcare providers.

Is SendBird HIPAA compliant?

Yes, SendBird APIs are compliant with the privacy rules and security standards of HIPAA. Furthermore, SendBird Desk, SendBird’s product modules such as embedded chat, social networks, and video customer support have also attained compliance with HIPAA.

Effective Features & Affordability:

SendBird is a customizable real-time chat SDK and API solution that offers enterprises in-app messaging in mobile, web, and other applications. The platform provides a necessary front-end UI and backend system that makes communication easy and convenient for the users. SendBird chat solutions cater to diverse sectors because of their affordability. However, they follow a monthly active user-based subscription model that starts at $399/ month for 5,000 to 10,000 monthly active users and increases depending on the scope of the enterprise.

3. Vonage

Vonage is a cloud-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) commercial phone service that offers voice, messaging, video, and data services across platforms such as communication APIs, unified communication systems, and contact centers.

Is Vonage HIPAA compliant?

Yes, Vonage is HIPAA compliant with high-security encryption and adherence to regional and sovereign privacy laws. This enables Vonage to deliver a complete and secure digital interaction platform to healthcare organizations.

Effective Features & Affordability:

Vonage offers a cloud-hosted commercial VoIP phone system with 40 plus effective features that include cell phone integration, desktop plugins, voicemail to email and so much more. However, these features can be integrated for an added fee into the account. Vonage can be easily scaled as per the requirements of the enterprise. Moreover, developers can manage lines and features of the system from anywhere and at any time using an easy online admin portal. Vonage charges based on minutes of usage – voice calls start from € 0.0127/minute, video calls from € 0.0040/minute, an in-app voice from € 0.0040/minute, SIP trunk calling from € 0.0040 /minute, messages API from € 0.0050 /delivered message and in-app text from € 0.0007 /message sent. There are other plans as well that enterprises can opt for depending on their needs and requirements.

Conclusion:

Empowering your healthcare organization by using a HIPAA compliant API or SDK solution provider is a great way to automate communications. And now that you know what HIPAA compliant means, how to choose HIPAA compliant API or SDK services, and who the top three players are, make sure to take the right decision.

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