Research published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics studied the effect of feedback on general practitioners’ claiming of fees shows how relatively simple email interventions can have measurable financial effects in healthcare.

In a nationwide field experiment involving Norwegian general practitioners (GPs), researchers found that an email-based feedback intervention reduced the use of double-consultation fees by 3-4 percentage points. The researchers estimated that this reduction decreased annual healthcare spending by approximately €480,000. They concluded that "low-cost interventions via email can have significant financial impact."

While the study wasn’t based in the US, its findings illustrate how email can be used as a low-cost mechanism for influencing healthcare workflows and reducing unnecessary expenditure.

 

Reducing administrative costs

Healthcare organizations manage a large volume of communication as employees contact patients, coordinate appointments, send documentation, communicate with other members of a care team, and provide follow-up information.

Traditional communication methods can require substantial staff time and resources. For example, phone calls may require staff members to repeatedly try to reach a patient. Paper-based communication can require printing, handling, mailing, and filing.

Instead, healthcare organizations can use email to reduce some of the administrative work associated with other communication channels. The Norwegian study provides an example of how email can be used with existing infrastructure to "minimize administrative costs and costs for patients and providers."

 

Improving communication

The ubiquity of email makes it financially attractive as organizations can distribute information to large groups without requiring an equivalent increase in staffing. The researchers in the Norwegian study used emails to send out information about reimbursement, reminded physicians about relevant regulations, identified differences between their fee usage and that of other GPs, and directed recipients toward additional information.

The researchers found that both intervention groups experienced major reductions in double-consultation fee use. This shows how a simple message can be distributed repeatedly and consistently among the patient population.

However, federal law mandates that healthcare organizations must use a HIPAA compliant email solution to send messages that contain patients’ protected health information (PHI). Solutions like Paubox use advanced encryption, audit trails, and access controls to safeguard PHI during transmission and at rest.

It allows organizations to securely send patient notifications, appointment-related communication, educational materials, administrative updates, and other communications that contain PHI.

 

Reducing unnecessary billing costs

Incorrect coding can occur intentionally or unintentionally. The study notes that incorrect patient coding can result from opportunistic behavior as well as from inadequate billing knowledge. The authors cite previous research showing poor billing literacy among healthcare professionals.

Healthcare organizations could use secure emails as part of their revenue-cycle initiatives. For example, organizations might use secure internal communications to distribute reminders about documentation requirements, billing policies, coding updates, or compliance procedures when those communications involve PHI.

 

Supporting compliance education

Compliance training can be expensive when every educational intervention requires presentations or individual instruction. Email can provide a lower-cost method for distributing reminders and educational information. More specifically, the Norwegian intervention shows how distributing emails with information about fee usage and directing physicians to additional resources can influence adherence to formal regulations.

Healthcare organizations can similarly incorporate secure email into compliance education. For example, a healthcare organization could send reminders about changes to internal privacy procedures, documentation requirements, billing and coding policies, and updates to organizational policies.

HIPAA compliant email is an inexpensive way to reinforce information between formal training sessions. These emails can also include links to online modules or resources for further learning, so healthcare professionals stay up-to-date on the latest regulations and best practices.

Read also: Introducing Paubox Security Awareness Training

 

Reducing the cost of repeated communications

Healthcare staff frequently repeat the same information to patients, especially when they need instructions before appointments, reminders about follow-up care, information about test preparation, or administrative instructions. Staff may also need to repeatedly explain organizational procedures.

Providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to make some of these communications more efficient. Like, developing standardized email workflows for appropriate communications. More specifically, providers can design templates for their Paubox emails, so staff can communicate consistent information and save time while doing so.

The Norwegian study further explains this economic principle. Researchers found that email-based feedback produced behavioral changes that persisted throughout the 14-month follow-up period. They described the intervention effects as "durable and have economic significance."

Healthcare organizations can use these principles to improve communication workflows that reduce the amount of staff time spent repeatedly addressing routine issues.

 

Helping prevent costly compliance mistakes

The financial consequences of mishandling PHI can include investigating privacy incidents, notifying affected individuals, remediating security weaknesses, providing additional training, and devoting staff resources to responding to the incident.

HIPAA compliant email can help organizations avoid these financial implications and the ramifications of facing a HIPAA violation. Additionally, online resources such as the HHS HIPAA for Professionals website offer comprehensive modules and guidelines for maintaining compliance.

 

Making existing infrastructure work harder

In the above-mentioned study, the researchers did not need to create an entirely new communication infrastructure. The researchers explained that an established infrastructure allowed the intervention to be distributed while minimizing administrative costs.

This may be applied in healthcare organizations that use Paubox email. Healthcare organizations can streamline their operations and maintain HIPAA compliance, saving time and resources. Organizations must establish standardized procedures for these communications to help reduce workflow fragmentation and the administrative burden associated with managing multiple communication channels.

 

Supporting more efficient use of staff time

Since labor is one of the largest expenses a healthcare organization faces, even small reductions in repetitive administrative work can have financial implications. Email can automate or simplify some routine communications, so staff can spend less time repeatedly providing information manually and more time addressing communications that require human judgment.

Furthermore, organizations can use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze data and identify trends, allowing for better segmentation when sending out HIPAA compliant emails. Paubox emails allow providers to segment their patients, using AI, and send personalized messages based on their specific healthcare needs, improving overall efficiency in delivering care.

 

Cost savings vs patient care

The Norwegian researchers explicitly acknowledged that they couldn’t definitively determine why the reduction in double-consultation fees occurred. It could have reflected more accurate coding, but it could also have resulted from physicians conducting fewer long consultations. The authors wrote that "we cannot say which effect dominates."

As a result, organizations must determine whether a communication intervention reduces waste while preserving appropriate patient care, accurate documentation, regulatory compliance, and access to services. HIPAA compliant will only support better patient care when it improves communication workflows.

Related: How patient-centered communication improves patient outcomes

 

FAQs

Do providers need patient consent for HIPAA compliant emails?

Yes, a provider must get explicit patient consent before sharing their PHI through HIPAA compliant emails.

Learn more: A HIPAA consent form template that's easy to share

 

Can AI be integrated into HIPAA compliant emails?

Yes, AI-powered features can be integrated with HIPAA compliant emailing platforms, like Paubox, to automate processes like patient consent management and sending personalized emails while maintaining HIPAA compliance.

 

Are there any limitations when using AI in HIPAA compliant emails?

Yes, healthcare providers must ensure that AI-powered features comply with HIPAA regulations and industry best practices for data security and privacy. Additionally, providers should evaluate the reliability of AI algorithms to avoid potential risks or compliance issues.

Read also: HIPAA compliant email API