For several years now, Omnimed has offered the possibility of communicating electronically with patients using a variety of tools: sending an email or SMS from the Administrative center and from the Appointment module, sending email from the Results module, sending clinical tools by email and sending invoices by email. These mailings are used in contexts where it is not necessary to speak to the patient face-to-face, and where the patient is not expected to respond. Omnimed wishes to put forward best practices in order to respect the security rules surrounding the confidentiality of personal information.
Best practices and rules to follow
You must respect the following rules:
- No clinical or sensitive information when communication is not secure. To preserve the confidentiality of personal information, communications containing confidential information must be securely routed. Additionally, telephony providers automatically block text messages (SMS) containing clinical terms (including prescription medication).
- No sensitive information in results follow-ups. The email functionality related to results has been designed to expedite the follow-up of normal results. Sending PDF results through this feature is secure, but the text content of the email itself is not. If you wish to transmit a securely personalized message via email related to results, you can use our Communication of results tool.
- Prior consent for electronic communications. It is strongly recommended to obtain patient consent to use their cell phone number and email and confirm their preferred mode of communication. Take this opportunity to inform patients about your electronic communication practices.
- No marketing communication should be sent via the Omnimed EMR. No marketing communication should be transmitted via Omnimed as these features do not comply with the requirements of the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (e.g., individuals must be able to unsubscribe from mailing lists autonomously).
- Exercise caution when sending web links: Securely hosted web links for sharing content with your patients are permissible. However, ensure you inform your patients of this practice to prevent them from flagging the communication as spam and blocking it. Please note that sending survey links via SMS is flagged as suspicious by some telephony providers. Such actions may result in the suspension of the number from which SMS messages are sent through Omnimed.
Impact of non-compliance with SMS or email best practices
Non-compliance with SMS or email best practices can lead to a poor patient experience, increase the likelihood of messages being marked as spam, and result in legal penalties for non-compliance with current regulations.
When patients identify your emails as spam or text STOP to SMS messages, this prevents further communication with them. It can also damage the reputation of the sender (i.e., the number or email address used to transmit the SMS or email), reducing not only future message delivery from your clinic but also potentially from Omnimed as a whole. Adhering to best practices is therefore essential for effective and compliant communication.
The future of patient communications in Omnimed
Omnimed has begun its analysis work on the patient portal, which will enable secure information exchange with patients. This work will be spread over a long period, during which we will gradually roll out certain functionalities. We look forward to receiving your questions, suggestions and comments!
Learn more about regulations in Quebec and Canada:
Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Bill 25)
Canada's anti-spam legislation