Bill Klaproth (Host): This is an AAOMS On the Go podcast. I'm Bill Klaproth. And with me is Colleen Maguire, who is part of the team at MedXCom. MedXCom has been an AAOMS Advantage Approved Partner for nearly 10 years, as we talk about helping patients after hours: the importance of communication and documentation. Welcome, Colleen.

Colleen Maguire: Thanks, Bill.

Host: Yeah. Nice to see you. So, let me start with this. What should OMSs focus on when handling after-hours patient calls as opposed to in-office appointments during business hours?

Colleen Maguire: Firstly, being available and connectable to your patient is first and foremost. Then having a clear record of what is being said is critical. Like any in-office appointment, these calls should be documented appropriately. After-hours is what we like to consider the gray area, where no one really knows what's happening. When you use a platform that's digital and automated, you can record all your calls. These will provide you with documentation 100 percent. They're evidence, essentially, if nothing else. Having them available, having them accessible, having them there when you need them is also very important in a service like ours. And then, what I like to say is what I've just heard, because we deal with a lot of this, our medical malpractice insurers always say, “If it's not documented, it didn't happen.”

Host: So, must document. So, let's talk about documentation then. What type of documentation can be used for after-hours calls?

Colleen Maguire: Sure. Well, I mean, in our case, it's a recording. So, everything in and out of the platform is recorded and available to the practice. They can turn that feature off. No one does. It's the real value of the system. Everyone uses some form of an after-hours answering service, and it definitely is advantageous to use one that's recording all your calls. Every other different business vertical records their calls, and it's not medical, and it's not nearly as litigious, so...

Host: Do we have to worry about any HIPAA concerns, or do we have HIPAA concerns when it comes to recording calls?

Colleen Maguire: That's a good question. Yeah, you would want to use a platform that's HIPAA-compliant and secure, most definitely.

Host: Yeah. That makes sense, certainly today with the privacy concerns. So, let's talk about other safeguards that an OMS can consider when using electronic communications with patients. What do they need to know? What are other safeguards they can employ?

Colleen Maguire: Definitely. And when you choose a system, you should really be mindful of what you're choosing and what they're going to offer you. If you're going to use an electronic communications technologies, you should make sure that the vendor follows all the standard privacy and cybersecurity rules and regulations that are imposed by HIPAA.

You should also make sure that the technology they choose supports the encryption of all data in transit and while stored on the system at rest. There's also, you know, the concern that patient health information could be accessed by a third party. So that being said, you should definitely have a BAA in place with whatever service provider you choose. And it would also be worth finding out if that service provider that you choose also has BAAs in place with all their third-party vendors that comprise the entire platform.

Host: Yeah, these are all interesting things that potentially OMSs don't think of. So, it's good that you're here to talk about these things that really should be in place to make sure that you're safeguarding your patient's privacy and protecting yourself at the same time. Making sure that you're doing the proper documentation, making sure you have a HIPAA-compliant platform, all of those things. So, Colleen, what should someone look for when searching for an after-hours answering service?

Colleen Maguire: That's a great question. If I were looking for an answering service, I would look for one that protects me and my practice. I'd look for safeguards like the recording of all calls from a risk mitigation perspective. I'd also want it to be HIPAA secure and compliant. I'd want it to allow for the easy documentation of all after-hour calls. And I would also look for a company that's 100 percent USA-based. From their technology, think servers, think of your cyberprotections, as well as their entire team, from their tech team to support. You have to be mindful of these things and just have the right people in place and the right technology in place to protect you.

Host: Well, it's really important to follow the advice that you just gave us, Colleen. So, thank you so much for that. And thank you for your time today. This has really been fascinating. We appreciate it. Thank you.

Colleen Maguire: Thank you, Bill. Us too.

Host: You bet. Absolutely. Once again, that is Colleen Maguire. And to learn more, visit the MedXCom Partner page at AAOMSAdvantage.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media and make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening.