In today’s digital age, medical practices have a range of communication tools at their disposal, from email to text messaging to video conferencing. However, when it comes to healthcare communication, not all tools are created equal. While email has become a prevalent form of communication, it may not be the best option for medical practices. Here are four reasons why it would behoove medical practices to switch to online faxing rather than email: 

‍

1. Security

One of the most significant advantages of electronic fax over email is security. Email is highly vulnerable to interception, hacking, and other security threats, which can compromise sensitive patient information. On the other hand, electronic fax can be encrypted to ensure the transmission of data, providing healthcare providers with a better piece of mind. 

‍‍

2. Integration

Electronic fax can also integrate with EMR (Electronic Medical Record) systems and other healthcare software, which offers practices a seamless and more efficient workflow. EMR integration enables medical practices to avoid manual data entry and to reduce the risk of errors, leading to an improvement in patient outcomes.

 ‍

3. Reliability

Email can sometimes fail to deliver messages due to technical issues or spam filters. On the other hand, electronic faxing solutions can automatically route incoming faxes to the correct recipient or integrate with EMR systems. This can save medical practices time and effort and reduce the risk of errors. 

‍‍

4. Mobile Access

While administrative staff has increasingly started to work from home or may work at multiple clinics, electronic faxing has given practices the opportunity to fax from anywhere. Whether it be from a computer, tablet, or cell phone, a fax can be both sent and received on the go. 

‍

Electronic fax offers several advantages over email, including security, integration, reliability, and mobility. Given the sensitive nature of patient information, it is pivotal that medical practices carefully choose what communication channel they utilize to send and receive their documents. Overall, the advantages of electronic fax can ultimately improve providers’ patient care.