Verizon said it’s Virtual Contact Center and IP-based Interactive Voice Response have achieved HIPAA compliance, putting the telecommunications company firmly in the healthcare space with the goal of improving patient engagement.
The contact center and voice response will both be geared toward payers and providers, who will be able to manage incoming inquiries from either patients or clinicians while securely sharing patient information, the company said.
The cloud-based offerings, Verizon said, can help better coordinate the patient experience as well as be integrated with existing software, including EHRs and any other database operated by the payer or provider.
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Providers and payers engage with members by phone, online, or chat or through social media channels, with the aim of reducing handling times and increasing first-call resolution.
The latest foray into healthcare communications for Verizon is an attempt to put the industry on par with other industries in terms of technological adoption. Overcoming challenges related to HIPAA and sharing patient data was a key motivating factor.
“Healthcare is behind other industries when it comes to applying technology to the delivery of services due in part to today’s regulatory climate,” said Darryl Shaw, director of healthcare solutions and new product development for Verizon. “Verizon is looking at ways where we can ease the pain points for our clients by using technology to provide added value. This is a great example of one way we are doing so.”