If you’re here, you already understand the importance of protecting your patients’ sensitive information. Using a HIPAA compliant form builder is essential for securely collecting, storing, and managing protected health information (PHI), but it can make any practice run more efficiently.

With HIPAA compliant online forms, you can enhance the patient experience, improve data accuracy, and save valuable time and resources. And if nothing else, your patients will truly appreciate a more modern approach to the old clipboard and stack of paper forms. This article will guide you through the benefits, essential features, and top solutions for HIPAA compliant online forms in 2024.

We’ll also provide insights on how to successfully implement these forms in your practice and choose the right solution that meets your specific needs.

Patient and doctor filling out a patient intake form on a clipboard

What is a HIPAA compliant form builder?

HIPAA compliant online forms are simply a digitized version of the forms you already use. They also meet the strict security and privacy requirements set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). When implemented correctly, they allow healthcare providers to securely collect, store, and manage PHI from patients electronically.

Benefits of using a HIPAA compliant form builder

  • Streamlined patient intake: Finally you can eliminate paper forms (at least most of them) and manual data entry to simplify the patient intake process.
  • Improved data accuracy: Decrease the likelihood of data challenges associated with illegible handwriting or incomplete forms. Accurate data!
  • An improved patient experience: Allow patients to complete forms at their convenience before appointments. This is a big one if you care about patient retention.
  • Time and resource savings: Save time every day by minimizing the need for managing and storing paper documents. And you’ll never need to tie a pen or pencil to a clipboard with string again.
  • HIPAA compliance: Ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations and avoid potential penalties for data breaches.

Some essential features of HIPAA compliant form builders

When exploring HIPAA compliant form options, be on the lookout for some of these features you’ll likely want:

  • Data encryption: Ensure that PHI is protected from unauthorized access during both transmission and storage.
  • Customizable form fields: Capture relevant patient information based on your practice’s specific data and workflow needs.
  • Electronic signature capabilities: You’ll want to capture patient consent and authorization securely and efficiently.
  • EHR integration: For truly seamless data transfer, you may want it to integrate with your existing electronic health record system.
  • User access controls and audit trails: Monitor who accesses patient data and when to maintain HIPAA compliance.

Top HIPAA compliant form builders for 2024

1. OhMD

OhMD offers a user-friendly platform for creating and sending HIPAA compliant online forms via text message. Patients can complete forms on their mobile devices which improves response rates and convenience. OhMD integrates with popular EHR systems to simplify and streamline your internal workflows wherever possible.

2. Formstack

Formstack provides a very simple drag-and-drop form builder with HIPAA compliant features and templates tailored for healthcare. It supports electronic signatures, file uploads, and payment collection within forms.

3. Jotform

Jotform is a leader in the space and offers a wide range of customizable HIPAA compliant form templates for various healthcare specialties. Its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality make form creation easy. Jotform also provides the ability to collect electronic signatures.

Implementing a HIPAA compliant form in your practice

A few tips to successfully implement HIPAA compliant online forms in your practice:

  1. Analyze your current patient intake process to identify areas to improve.
  2. Evaluate a variety of HIPAA compliant form solutions based on your practice’s needs and budget.
  3. Train staff on properly using and managing online forms. Change isn’t easy, but they’ll be glad to get rid of the paper forms too!
  4. Educate patients on the benefits of online intake forms and provide clear instructions for completing them.
  5. Regularly review and update your online form processes to improve efficiency – and maybe even the patient experience.

Choosing the right form solution for your practice

When selecting the a HIPAA compliant form builder for your practice, ease of use, customization options, integration capabilities, and pricing are all important variables. Evaluate customer support and training online reviews to ensure a smooth implementation. It’s always worth looking at case studies from other healthcare providers. It may provide valuable insights into real-world experiences.

Choosing the right solution can significantly impact your practice’s efficiency and patient satisfaction. Want to learn more about OhMD? Book a Quick Demo with us today to learn how our HIPAA compliant form builder can transform your practice.

Patient using a hipaa compliant form builder on the way to her doctor's office