HIPAA Meaning
Summary
These text messages are not encrypted in transport, and they can be read by those working for carriers, meaning that SMS does not meet the standards of HIPAAs Privacy Rule. While iMessages are encrypted in transport, unlike SMS, Apple states that the way it handles the messages as a carrier is still not compliant with HIPAA. Despite these legal issues, patients and providers alike value the convenience and ease of text messaging to communicate health information. The concern still remains, however, that secure text messages may end up in the wrong hands, should a device be lost, stolen, or otherwise accessed by someone who isnt the patient. While concerns about device access by someone not authorized to view the information still exist, the level of security used makes such applications a viable option for HIPAA-friendly messaging, especially for those wary of SMS.