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Systems that we previously considered to be the holy grail of communication are nothing more than obsolete technologies, saved only for posterity in a museum. One technology that many have long since sent into oblivion is the fax machine. However, this seemingly ‘dead as a dodo’ means of communication is, surprisingly, thriving and in growing demand. There are two reasons why fax has outlived many of its peer technologies: first, it has simply changed skin and mode of operation; second, in today’s so-called paperless society, a good number of industries depend on that basic ink on paper signature. And the fax does that job of transmitting signed documents wonderfully. Whereas most organizations today use email as their primary method of communication, certain industry sectors such as healthcare and legal firms still believe, and for good reason too, that faxing provides a greater level of security when it comes to sending/receiving important and confidential information. Furthermore, when sending a fax you have real-time connectivity with instant delivery confirmation. From a security perspective, it is much harder to gain access to a phone system for wire-tapping than it is to access an email server. Faxing technology has also evolved, making full use of the IP infrastructure and the favored method of communication today, email. This has allowed organizations to continue using the fax as a key document delivery method while making the most of their IT infrastructure. Furthermore, by integrating faxing as part of their network, they have saved a substantial amount of money by cutting down on communication costs, extra phone lines, maintenance costs, paper, cartridges, and other material expenses which come with it. Integrated faxing, as it is commonly referred to, has also boosted productivity in organizations and, most importantly, added another level of security and confidentiality. Manual faxing – which required employees to go through the whole procedure of printing a document, picking it up, going to the fax machine, waiting for the fax to be sent, and returning to their workstation when sending out a fax – disrupted productivity and resulted in wasted time just to send or receive a fax. The fact that a fax machine was often available to all employees raised confidentiality concerns because anyone near the fax machine would be able to browse through and read faxes as they came in. A confidential document only remains so if it’s only seen by the intended recipient – and that doesn’t happen when dozens of people are milling around the fax machine every day. Integrated network faxing, on the other hand, addresses these problems because faxes are sent and received through the email client and therefore each fax is received by the intended recipient electronically. In addition to creating a more effective process, confidentiality is guaranteed. Why is confidentiality of faxes so important? Anybody working in the healthcare or legal sector is aware of the importance of patient and client confidentiality, respectively. So much so that in 1996, the US Congress recognized the need to enforce national patient record privacy standards and that same year the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was endorsed. In a nutshell, the law required organizations to protect the security and confidentiality of patient health records, meaning the previous hard copy paper systems were not secure enough and new alternatives to the way organizations sent, received and managed protected health information (PHI) were required. And this is where integrated network faxing has proved to be so important. HIPAA provides for an exhaustive checklist that healthcare organizations need to adhere to, but the following points demonstrate how the use of integrated faxing and fax server technology can help organizations comply with these regulations: 1. All fax machines must be placed in a secure area and not generally accessible – Because both incoming and outgoing faxes can be sent through an email client when using a fax server, eliminating the need for a manual fax machine, no special security measures need to be taken to safeguard the data or the equipment. 2. Only authorized personnel are to have access and security measures should be provided to ensure that this occurs – Again, when using integrated network faxing, faxes can be sent and received through either an email client or, a much better option, a third party medical records application. Another option would be to send faxes via the fax server client and receive email directly to a folder on the network, printer or database instead of an individual’s email client. This means the documentation does not need to leave the sender’s office or to be handled by a third person. Also, incoming faxes can also be routed to a particular printer based on a DID/DDI/DTMF number or on the line on which the fax was received. Therefore, there is no way anyone other than the intended recipient can see the documentation. 3. Destination numbers are verified before transmission – Fax server users can pre-program their recipients by integrating with the Active Directory and using the contact lists in the email client – reducing the potential for human error. Another option that is preferred by healthcare organizations is to integrate third-party medical records software and use its built-in contact list. 4. Received faxes are to be stored in a secure location and maintain transmission and transaction log summaries – A solid fax server solution should integrate seamlessly with a third-party product that can archive all faxes received though an email client or health records application. This ensures that all records are securely stored and accessible for retrieval or audit purposes by authorized personnel only. 5. Maintain a copy of the confirmation sheet of the fax transmission, including the necessary data such as time and recipient’s number – These can be automatically or manually printed or logged in a separate database, folder or email inbox, depending on what fax server software you’re using and/or the settings you choose. 6. Include a cover-sheet clearly stating that the fax contains confidential health information, is being sent with the patient’s authorization, should not be passed on to other parties without express consent; and should be destroyed if not received by the intended recipient – Fax server software like GFI FAXmaker allows for the creation of cover pages by user or group. This enables administrators to control the formatting and content of the cover page and have the approved cover page added automatically to outbound faxes. In spite of all technological advances in recent years, it is amazing that the fax machine and its 21st century rejuvenation continue to provide such an important service to businesses and organizations around the world. For those industries that rely heavily on the transmission of confidential documents, deploying an integrated fax server is no longer an option but a must-have. Technology has given a fresh boost to the fax machine and at the same time is helping organizations to communicate effectively and in a more productive and secure way. Kevin Hodak is the National Account Manager for GFI FAXmaker with GFI Software. With over ten years of IT experience, he specializes in bridging the gap between technical requirements and business needs. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems Technology from Grantham University. Prior to joining GFI, he spent four years as a Network Administrator on classified systems with the United States Air Force. ### Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and receive current Health News, be eligible for discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7. HealthNewsDigest.com For advertising/promotion, email: tvmike13@healthnewsdigest.com Or call toll free: 877- 634-9180 Top of Page 
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