At the base level, because the security risk is too great.
When it comes to patient communication, everyone will tell you that convenience matters. And they’re not wrong. Keeping your patients happy with their care and with the way you communicate with them is extremely important.
But protecting their confidential information matters even more.
A lot of healthcare organizations want to communicate through text and email because that’s what people use every day and everyone wants to keep their clients happy, so why not go the convenient route?
The problem is that these channels can create security and compliance risks that are difficult to control.
That’s why a lot of HIPAA-focused platforms do things a bit differently.
What is HIPAA and why does it matter?
HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was created to help healthcare organizations protect sensitive patient information and keep it out of the wrong hands. Think of them as the guard dog of sensitive and confidential information in the healthcare industry.
The truth is that compliance isn’t just about checking boxes or avoiding fines.
It’s about maintaining patient trust.
Patients share personal health information with doctors, nurses, therapists, and care teams because they believe it will be handled responsibly.
Every interaction, from scheduling appointments to sharing treatment updates, should support that trust.
What you can do to ensure patient trust:
- Review how patient information is shared across your organization.
- Limit access to patient data to only those who really need it.
- Create clear communication policies for staff.
- Regularly train employees on privacy and security best practices.
The more intentional you are about protecting patient information, the more confidence patients will have in your organization.
Text and Email Aren’t Always Secure
Most people don’t think twice before sending a text or email.
Unfortunately, cybercriminals know that too.
Traditional text messaging and standard emails are quite vulnerable methods of communication. Let’s say, for instance, a patient changes their phone number but forgets to let your office know, which means you could potentially be sending sensitive information to the wrong person.
Or maybe someone on your team selected Juan Ramos instead of Juan Ramiro, which could lead to both Juan’s receiving the wrong info. Or worst case scenario: someone’s email gets hacked and strangers can get access to years of communication between your organization and the patient without anyone realizing it immediately.
Even if nothing bad happens, simple human error can put protected health information at risk.
What you can do:
- Don’t send detailed medical information through normal text or email.
- Use text and email only for general notifications.
- Keep sensitive conversations within secure patient portals or messaging platforms.
- Implement multi-factor authentication for all staff accounts.
The goal isn’t to avoid communication.
It’s to make sure communication happens securely.
Every New Connection Creates More Risk
Healthcare software today connects to dozens of systems, including electronic health records, scheduling platforms, payment systems, and communication tools. Every integration adds convenience, but it also increases the possible risk.
When text or email systems connect directly to patient data, there are more pathways that need to be secured, monitored, and maintained. If one of those systems becomes compromised, patient information may be exposed.
Think of it like adding doors to a building. Each door needs locks, monitoring or security cameras, maintenance, and policies around who can use it.
What you can do:
- Check all third-party software integrations.
- Disable integrations that are no longer being used.
- Review vendor security practices annually.
- Follow the principle of “least privilege,” giving users access only to what they need.
Keeping your technology ecosystem simple can often make it more secure.
Email Attacks Are Still a Major Problem
Despite advances in cybersecurity, email remains one of the most common ways for attackers to get sensitive information.
Phishing emails have, unfortunately, become increasingly sophisticated. Some are generated using AI and can closely mimic legitimate communications from coworkers, vendors, or healthcare partners.
All it takes is one person on your team clicking the wrong link to potentially expose patient information, login credentials, or internal systems.
Even organizations with strong security controls are targeted every day.
What you can do:
- Do regular phishing awareness training.
- Use multi-factor authentication on all email accounts.
- Prioritize the use of strong password policies and password managers.
- Check for suspicious account activity.
- Encourage employees to verify unusual requests before acting on them.
Gone are the days where cybersecurity is just an IT responsibility. These days it falls on everyone’s shoulders.
A Breach Costs More Than Money
When people think about data breaches, they often think about the money it will cost in fees. While those can certainly be significant, the larger impact is often felt elsewhere.
A breach can disrupt operations, create legal challenges, increase administrative workloads, and damage patient relationships. The problem with all of that is that you as an organization start losing trust, especially from the patients and rebuilding that trust can take years.
In healthcare as in most industries, reputation is one of your most valuable assets.
What you can do:
- Create an incident response plan before you need it.
- Test your breach response procedures regularly.
- Communicate transparently if an incident occurs.
- Document security measures and compliance efforts.
A fast, organized response can significantly reduce the impact of a security event.
Here’s how we can help…
Rather than relying on traditional text or email, you can use tools like My Junna.
Why?
Well because it gives you access to:
- Encrypted messaging
- Secure patient authentication
- Access controls
- Audit logs and activity tracking
- Centralized communication records
- Controlled sharing of sensitive information
By keeping conversations inside a secure platform, organizations can improve both security and the patient experience.
Here are some Do’s for healthcare communication:
- Use Secure Communication Tools
Choose platforms designed for healthcare rather than relying solely on consumer-grade messaging tools.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
We know it is a pain, but adding a second layer of verification can stop a lot of account compromise attempts before they start.
- Train your staff regularly
See if you can get experts with interesting stories to train your staff. Security awareness should be an ongoing process, not a once-a-year exercise.
- Check your user access
In every organization, people change roles, responsibilities, and departments. You have to make sure that their access permissions reflect the responsibilities of their current roles.
- Do regular security audits
As scary as this sounds, regular assessments can help identify gaps before attackers do. Think of them as the flu shots for your systems.
- Create Clear Policies
Your people have to know what is going on. Make it easy for employees to understand when and how patient information should be communicated.
Security works best when it becomes part of everyday operations rather than an afterthought.
So in conclusion:
Text and email are convenient, but convenience alone shouldn’t drive decisions about patient communication. Healthcare organizations have to focus on accessibility with security, especially as cyber threats continue to evolve.
One way to help with this is to keep sensitive conversations inside secure, HIPAA-focused platforms, because this can greatly reduce your organization’s risk. Doing this will also help you to protect patient privacy, and as a consequence strengthen the trust that patients have in your organization. The result is a safer communication experience for providers, staff, and patients alike.
Because when it comes to healthcare, protecting patient information isn’t just good compliance.
It’s good patient care.
