VOIP for Telerehabilitation: A Risk Analysis for Privacy, Security, and HIPAA Compliance

• Main Authors: Valerie J.M. Watzlaf, Sohrab Moeini, Patti Firouzan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh 2010-10-01
• Series: International Journal of Telerehabilitation
• Online Access: http://telerehab.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/Telerehab/article/view/6056

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Voice over the Internet Protocol</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"> (VoIP) systems such as Adobe ConnectNow, Skype, ooVoo, etc. may include the use of software applications for telerehabilitation (TR) therapy that can provide voice and video teleconferencing between patients and therapists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Privacy and security applications as well as HIPAA compliance within these protocols have been questioned by information technologists, providers of care, and other health care entities. This paper develops a privacy and security checklist that can be used within a VoIP system to determine if it meets privacy and security procedures and whether it is HIPAA compliant. Based on this analysis, specific HIPAA criteria that therapists and health care facilities should follow are outlined and discussed, and therapists must weigh the risks and benefits when deciding to use VoIP software for TR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>