Text Request, a Chattanooga-based business texting platform, announced that its SaaS tool is now compliant with rules and regulations set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This upgrade to Text Request’s ever-expanding list of services and features allows healthcare marketers and IT leaders to layer text messaging into communication strategies without patient privacy concerns.

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“Healthcare consumers are looking for increased simplicity in scheduling appointments, requesting information about services and facilities, and just having an easier way to connect with providers,” said Brian Elrod, CEO at Text Request. “Text messaging is a wildly effective form of communication and a perfect solution for these use cases and others. With HIPAA compliance, we’ll be uniquely positioned to help providers and healthcare marketers better connect with existing and prospective patients.”

In the healthcare marketing arena, HIPAA regulations require protected health information (PHI) to be safeguarded by numerous layers of protection: Data must be encrypted, stored in secure environments, and accessible only by approved parties, among other stipulations.

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These efforts enable the company to enter into Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with health systems, physician practices, and other healthcare providers. BAAs are contracts used to assign responsibility for the proper management of PHI within the confines of HIPAA.

Previously, Text Request offered HIPAA-compliant data storage, but this latest update encompasses the SaaS tool’s full suite of SMS services.

“This wasn’t an easy process, but it’s one we believe will make us a better partner to our healthcare customers,” Elrod said. “I’m proud of our team’s commitment to securing this status, and I look forward to seeing the wins we’re able to achieve alongside our current and future healthcare customers.”