Discover the future of faxing, and how upgrading to eFax corporate cloud faxing could transform how you better protect your patient’s data and improve your information governance within the NHS and other aspects of the healthcare sector.
Article overview:
The Problem With Fax Machines and Patient Data
The healthcare sector regularly uses fax machines to transmit documents, but this old-fashioned technology is leading to situations where patient data is being put at risk.
Faxing is an essential practice. You need to be able to send faxes in order to effectively communicate with other organisations working in healthcare.
But the fax machines used to transmit documents are resulting in data protection problems.
Problems include:
- Potential non-compliance with NHS Digital and GDPR
- Unsecure document transfers
- The distribution of files to unauthorised parties
- Human error, loss of documentation and resource wastage
Fax machines need to be eradicated, yet faxing remains a highly useful practice. eFax corporate offers a solution that enables faxing to continue while helping to reduce some of the risks associated with fax machine usage.
The eFax Solution to Patient Data Risks
eFax corporate’s digital faxing solutions assist in improving your ability to meet required information governance standards while maintaining fax communication and document transmission.
Switching from fax machines to digital faxing means:
- You can elect to secure data through high-level data encryption
- You reduce resource wastage, from not having to wait by the fax machine, and get time back to take care of business tasks
- You keep files more secure and can restrict access to authorised individuals only
- You have online access to files and documents
- You can reduce risks of loss and human error
Online faxing allows you to continue communicating with physical fax machines while taking advantage of all the benefits that come with it. You do not need:
- New hardware or installation of equipment
- To change contact details or fax numbers
- To take downtime during the upgrade
- To pay excessive costs for document sharing
Learn More! Read the Full Story Below
Why the Fax Machine Is Flawed
As an individual working within the healthcare sector, you will be aware of two things relating to fax machines:
- The system is overly reliant on the old technology
- They are time consuming and frustrating to use
However, these two problems are not the only reasons why the fax machine is a flawed part of the system, especially when it comes to the transmission of patient data. We all know that these archaic units need to go, but the urgency of this is not being addressed.
Proper information governance in the NHS, as well as other organisations operating within the healthcare sector, is critical. You need to ensure that your organization is adhering to the regulatory requirements relating to data usage, sharing and storage in order to protect yourself and your patient from breaches relating to information governance and loss of personal data.
However, fax machines do not offer effective methods of strong information governance. Why is this?
Fax machines were designed and built in the 19th century. They have come a long way since, but not far enough in the modern digital era. This technology was widespread in the 1980s and during this period it was effective in its role. However, technology has moved on.
This means your fax machines have to go.
Faxing, though, as a practice of communication, provides a number of crucial and indispensable benefits to the healthcare community. The fax needs to stay, but the fax machine needs to go. So what is the answer?
Utilising Cloud-Faxing Technology for Information Governance in the NHS & Healthcare
Meeting current standards of information governance within the NHS and the healthcare sector requires a modern solution. The fax machine just is not up to the challenge, but there are other methods of transmitting documents besides the physical fax machine.
eFax Corporate cloud-faxing solutions provide a better and more secure way of sending and receiving faxes, one that utilises digital technology to better manage compliance obligations under NHS Digital and the GDPR.
Protecting Patient Data: Cloud Faxing vs Fax Machines
So what are the flaws with fax machines, which are directly impacting information governance in the NHS and the healthcare sector, and what can cloud faxing do to help address some of these flaws? In the table below, eFax breaks down the major issues that can occur as a result of using fax machines, and how cloud faxing can assist in reducing some of these issues.
| The Problem | Fax Machines | Cloud Faxing |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | Fax machines are analogue technology, which means all files transmitted are done so without secure data encryption. If they are intercepted and accessed by hackers, they can be viewed and read easily, exposing sensitive information. | Cloud faxing can offer additional security features to encrypt files with the latest in document encryption technology. If a hacker were to intercept file transmission, they would be met with high-level encryption protocols. |
Accessibility | When you receive a file from a fax machine, the document is either immediately printed or left sitting in a queue. The problem is that, during this time, if you are not the first person waiting by the machine, another individual could access the file. They may view or print it by accident or they may do so intentionally. Either way, this risks confidential and sensitive information being viewed by unauthorised individuals which can result in a breach under GDPR. | All faxes received through eFax corporate’s cloud-faxing platform are submitted to a digital account. The only way to access these documents is to have the right login details and permissions. This means that only authorised individuals are capable of viewing and reading faxed documents. There is less of a risk of an unauthorised individual gaining access to your sensitive and confidential files. |
| Data Management | Fax machines are prone to something known as the ‘fat finger problem’. Numbers can be misdialled, which means confidential patient data can accidentally be sent to the wrong person or organisation, resulting in potential breaches. | A file sent via cloud faxing is sent to a pre-existing contact in your address book. There is less risk of submitting sensitive documents to the wrong place, reducing potential data breaches. |
Cybercrime Risks | Fax machines are subject to many security risks in the digital age, including a problem known as the faxploit. This is a weakness in fax machine security protocol, which allows cybercriminals to enter an IT system through a fax machine and access the entire network without difficulty. This exposes many of your sensitive documents and files to potential damage or theft. | Cloud-faxing technology is equipped with higher standards of security protection. Unlike fax machines, there is no straightforward way for hackers to access your IT systems — there is no faxploit they can take advantage of. Using eFax corporate solutions facilitates a more secure data transmission and helps to reduce the chances of your patient’s data falling into the wrong hands. |
| Large File Transfers | The transmission of large files via fax machines is a long and laborious process of inputting page after page into a fax machine. This not only wastes time, but also risks pages being missed out. If this happens with patient data, records can become inaccurate or incomplete, which can create compliance issues in terms of data management. | Cloud-faxing technology allows you to submit digital files in their complete form. As a result, you run less of a risk of sending inaccurate or incomplete information via fax. Our bespoke software will assist your healthcare organisation in transitioning from the physical fax machine and save time while doing it, too! |
| Remote Work | If you work remotely, making house calls or visiting clients, paper moves with you. As a result, there is the potential for it to be misplaced or lost during transit, which risks both the exposure of confidential information to unauthorised parties which may result in the inability to track and maintain files appropriately. You may also have the problem of needing to send a fax document, which means you’ll need to find a fax machine in order to transmit it, slowing down your ability to work. | With eFax corporate, your fax documents are all available through your computer or phone. This means you never have to carry paper documents around and risk them getting lost or stolen. Worried you might lose your phone or computer? Your files are protected by passwords and login detail which provide an added layer of protection if your device is stolen. |
Upgrading to Cloud Faxing: Common Questions
Upgrading your systems to cloud faxing couldn’t be simpler when you do it through eFax corporate.
Working within the healthcare sector, you may have a number of concerns about switching your IT and communication systems. But rest assured: with eFax corporate, everything is taken care of for you quickly and easily. Questions we often get surrounding a move to cloud faxing include:
- Can I still send and receive faxes from traditional fax machines?Yes! eFax corporate works both with other cloud-faxing services and fax machines. Our faxing solutions offer universal file transmission to anyone in the healthcare sector. Send faxes to fax machines, digital faxing platforms and even email addresses. You can also receive faxes sent via fax machines, as our software automatically converts the analogue file to a digital format.
- How much downtime will we see when we adopt cloud faxing?None at all. eFax corporate cloud-faxing solutions provide immediate service access. There is no waiting around for numbers to switch or data transfers to be made. Once you’re with eFax corporate, you can start sending and receiving fax straight away. No loss of working hours; no unhappy patients or clients waiting for your systems to adjust.
- Do we need new computers or IT systems?eFax corporate can be accessed on Android, iOS and Windows. If you use one or multiple of these operating systems, you can use eFax corporate! Our specially designed app ensures universal access for those operating in the healthcare profession, without the need to upgrade hardware or software. This is because all our services are managed through the cloud, operated from our own servers. All you need to do is install the software required to access them.
- Will I need a new fax number?Worried you might need to update all your partners and contacts with your new faxing information? Don’t be! With eFax corporate, you keep your old fax number. We’ll manage the entire process of porting your contact information to your new eFax corporate account. You don’t need to do anything but sign up. We’ll take care of the rest. You needn’t be concerned about spending time letting others know about your switch to cloud faxing, nor do you need to be worried you might miss important document transfers because they are sent to your old fax machine. Nothing will change, except you finally get to ditch your old-fashioned fax machine and upgrade to 21st-century fax technology!