For more information about Bridge Patient Portal’s offering, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below. For questions not answered here, feel free to contact us.
A patient portal platform provides patients with online access to essential tools, enabling patients to manage a variety of aspects of their health records and care. Patient portals help stimulate and improve better physician-patient relationships and give patients more control regarding their overall healthcare experience. Bridge patient portal provides an opportunity for health organizations to increase patient engagement, promote loyalty, better manage costs, and increase workflow efficiencies. Bridge is more than just a patient portal; it is, in fact, a patient engagement solution. Through the use of our patient engagement software, our clients can deploy client-branded web applications as well as mobile apps, available for iOS and Android. Bridge is setting a new standard for patient engagement software companies by offering a single, mobile-ready solution for secure SMS/email/push notifications, self-scheduling, medical record access, patient-provider messaging, bill pay, patient check-in and more. Patient portal software provides an opportunity to increase patient engagement, promote loyalty, better manage costs and increase workflow efficiencies. Bridge patient portal is the leading 2015 ONC-certified patient portal solution for health organizations looking to connect with both their EXISTING and NEW patients. Bridge is proven to enhance profitability in today’s challenging healthcare market. Beyond just a patient portal software, Bridge offers a mobile-ready, robust patient engagement platform. Bridge is an EHR-agnostic / vendor-neutral solution that can interface with multiple EHR and RCM systems simultaneously. Bridge’s patient portal software is exceptionally secure, HIPAA-compliant, undergoing routine 3rd-party audits (legal, clinical, and security). The Bridge solution can be used to meet MACRA requirements. Through the use of Bridge’s patient engagement software, healthcare organizations can deploy client-branded mobile apps in iOS and Android and a web-based portal, accessible from their website. Bridge is uniquely positioned to deliver the best patient portal/patient engagement platform. After 8+ years of intense development, Bridge now finds itself in a unique position to capitalize on other vendors’ shortcomings and grow customer demand for patient engagement solutions. Bridge is different than anything else on the market in the following ways: Read: Bridge patient portal Reports Record Growth for 2019 HIPAA Bridge patient portal is a HIPAA-compliant advanced IT solution. We adhere to HIPAA regulations and take the necessary steps to ensure our products effectively protect sensitive patient information. Bridge patient portal has passed multiple rounds of third-party HIPAA audits. As a customer, you will also sign a business associate agreement with Bridge for HIPAA compliance purposes. HIPAA compliant features include: Bridge patient portal is committed to the security, compliance, and QA of each individual portal installation. Each portal is hosted on a secure Google cloud server with the appropriate firewalls. Bridge undergoes annual third-party HIPAA audits and various other security-related audits. Bridge also staffs a full-time compliance officer. ONC SLI Compliance certified Bridge for 2015 Edition Module EHR / Ambulatory * ONC Health IT Certification. This certification designates that healthcare providers/organizations can use the 2015 certified patient portal for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) pathway of the MACRA Quality Payment Program. With the ONC 2015 certification, Bridge’s portal meets or exceeds all security requirements pertaining to patient portal software. Bridge certified on the highest number of criteria (16 modular EHR criteria) of any EHR-independent 3rd party patient portal solution. Bridge patient portal v2.0, certification date: Jul 3, 2018, certification ID number: 15.05.05.1947.BRID.01.00.0.180703 MACRA Bridge can be a patient portal for MACRA attestation and Promoting Interoperability (formerly Advancing Care Information) performance category in MIPS. The Promoting Interoperability category is worth 25% of a clinician’s MIPS Final Score. The score is derived on the satisfaction of base score, performance score, and bonus score requirements, all of which are weighted differently in terms of their contribution to the Promoting Interoperability performance category final score. “Patient Electronic Access” is a MIPS measure that is required for the base score and can be achieved through the use of a healthcare patient portal such as Bridge. There is also the View, Download, and Transmit (VDT) measure that most will recognize as a critical factor in having a patient portal for MU. Read: The unexpected benefit a patient portal has on your MIPS / MACRA score. Bridge is setting a new standard for custom patient portal solutions by offering a single, mobile-ready solution for secure SMS/email/push notifications, self-scheduling, medical record access, patient-provider messaging, bill pay, patient check-in and more. Bridge offers an entire range of fully-customizable features, including: Bridge patient portal is a fully customizable patient portal solution. Tell us what you would like customized, and we will tell you if it is feasible and the associated costs. In some cases, we will not charge for customizations if we believe it would be beneficial for all Bridge users. Some of the customizations Bridge frequently installs include: All of Bridge’s installations are designed to meet your healthcare organization’s brand identity. You can also choose to reserve requested portal customization for your organization’s use only. This is a common request in cases where the customization is part of a client’s “secret sauce.” If you require something that you do not see listed, feel free to request a new feature. There is a good chance the patient portal development team is already developing it or has it scheduled for development. Bridge’s patient engagement software platform is designed to help organizations with multiple patient engagement solutions. Our platform condenses the solution suite down to one single patient-facing solution. From the sole solution, organizations can expect the same functionality as the following solutions: You can pick and choose what works for you and your patients. Generally speaking, Bridge is sold with a base set of features that serves as the foundation for our patient portal system. There are then add-ons such as interfaces, mobile apps, and customized patient intake, to name a few. Yes, Bridge’s web browser-based application is mobile-friendly by using responsive design, ensuring a user-friendly experience on all devices. Bridge is also available as a mobile healthcare app, with native support for Android and iOS. The app is an extension of the patient portal and replicates the same functionality that is available in the portal. Unlike a typical mobile patient portal, Bridge’s app is client-branded, allowing hospitals and health systems a way to build their brand further. Patients would download the app in either the iOS or Android app stores. Furthermore, Bridge is a reseller of the Universe mHealth App Platform, which offers medium-to-large healthcare organizations a secure and scalable solution for all their online patient services. Universe mHealth is perfect for organizations looking to consolidate multiple patient engagement systems into a single app. Bridge supports patient mass messaging functions in the administration panel of the patient messaging software. Simply select the criteria of patients that you want to send a message to by selecting from an extensive list of filters, then either export the list of patients to send the message in your email messaging software or send a message directly from Bridge. Bridge supports both patient SMS messaging software and email mass messaging. Bridge Patient Portal is the leading 2015 ONC-certified patient portal solution for health organizations seeking to improve profitability in today’s challenging healthcare market. Beyond just patient portal software, Bridge offers an app for patient engagement that increases patient engagement as well as provides a more personal and stronger connection with your organization. Bridge is an EHR-agnostic / vendor-neutral solution that can interface with multiple EHR and RCM systems simultaneously. Bridge’s patient portal software is extremely secure, HIPAA-compliant, and 2015 ONC-certified, undergoing routine 3rd-party audits (legal, clinical, and security). Bridge can be used to meet MACRA requirements. Bridge has a full range of fully customizable features, including: Bridge is also available as a patient portal mobile app, with native support for Android and iOS. The chronic care management solution has a built-in timer. Every time a care coach accesses a patient chart, reviews the patient health records, updates or modifies the patient’s care plan, or communicates with the patient via phone or email, the time spent in each activity is automatically recorded. At the end of the month, you can run a billing report for each provider that details the amount of time spent on the chronic care management software. Yes. Bridge has a robust admin panel that allows for the easy setup of SMS and Email notifications. These can be used for a variety of features, including: To learn more about SMS and Email notifications, please see: The Facts about HIPAA and Email/SMS Communication with Patients. To learn more about sending appointment reminders securely, please see: How to Send Automated Patient Appointment Reminders Without Jeopardizing Patients’ Data Security. Bridge is a patient portal supplier and pricing based on a combination of factors including number of providers and active patients. This ensures that clients are not billed unnecessarily for under-utilized systems. A provider is considered to be any high-level provider providing care to a patient. This includes MD, DO, DC, N.P., L.Ac., DDS, and DMD. A portion of Bridge’s pricing is based on the number of providers that are going to be using Bridge. Bridge generally does not provide a discount for part-time providers as the majority of the license costs are based on patient utilization. However, exceptions can be made for certain cases. Supporting staff and other administrative staff is not required to purchase a license, as long as there is one active provider license. Skype® is currently not HIPAA compliant. While Skype’s ® encryption methods are secure, one of the most compelling reasons against the use of Skype® for healthcare provider-patient communication is that Skype® will not enter into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is required under the HIPAA Omnibus Rule. Organizations that use the software to communicate with patients over the Internet should be aware of the risks involved and consider using other video conferencing platforms instead. Read: Is Skype® HIPAA Compliant? Zoom is willing to sign a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is an important element for HIPAA compliance, but it lacks end-to-end encryption which is the most important step towards achieving HIPAA compliance. At the time of writing, there are multiple security issues preventing HIPAA-compliance. Read: Is Zoom a HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Software? Bridge is also available as a patient engagement mobile app, with native support for Android and iOS. Yes, Bridge offers a patient portal app. The app is an extension of the patient portal and replicates the same functionality that is available in the portal. Unlike a typical patient portal mobile app, Bridge’s app is client-branded, allowing hospitals and health systems a way to build their brand further. Patients would download the app in either the iOS or Android app stores. Also, Bridge is a reseller of the Universe mHealth App Platform, which offers medium-to-large healthcare organizations a secure and scalable platform for all their online patient services. Universe is perfect for organizations looking to consolidate multiple patient engagement systems into a single app. Bridge is more than just a medical records patient portal. Through the use of our patient engagement software, our clients can deploy client-branded web applications as well as patient engagement apps, available for iOS and Android. The term patient engagement is used to define everything from simple, piecemealed patient communication solutions to antiquated patient portals. Bridge is setting a new standard for patient engagement software companies by offering a single, mobile-ready solution for secure SMS/email/push notifications, self-scheduling, medical record access, patient-provider messaging, bill pay, patient check-in and more. Bridge’s patient engagement software platform was designed to help organizations with multiple patient engagement solutions. Our platform condenses the solution suite down to one single patient-facing solution. From the single solution, organizations can expect the same functionality like the following solutions: Yes. Bridge Patient Portal is a fully customizable patient portal solution. Tell Bridge what you would like customized, and Bridge can tell you if it is feasible and if there is an associated cost. In some cases, Bridge will not charge for customizations if Bridge feels that it would be beneficial for all Bridge users. Custom patient portal features: All of Bridge’s installations are designed to meet your healthcare organization’s brand identity. You can also choose to reserve requested portal customization for your organization’s use only. This is a common request in cases where the customization is part of a client’s “secret sauce.” Yes. Please feel free to ask us about any feature that you would like to have installed. There is a good chance the patient portal development team is already developing it or has it scheduled for development. Yes. Bridge is an EHR agnostic patient portal and can be interfaced with any Electronic Health Record (EHR), Revenue Cycle Management (RCM), or Practice Management (PM) software system, even more than one simultaneously. Bridge works with the most prevalent healthcare interface industry standards, including Health Level Seven (HL7), Continuity of Care Document (CCD), and Fast Health Information Resource (FHIR) via Bridge’s robust API. We can also build custom, non-standard interfaces designed for advanced integration between multiple systems where external compatibility support is not required. Bridge patient portal currently interfaces with: No matter what your interface needs may be, Bridge can help you develop the perfect solution. In many cases, Bridge has already developed interfaces for your software system(s). Contact a Bridge representative to see if Bridge has an interface designed for your EHR or PM system. To get started using the Bridge patient portal system, we can help you transfer data from your EHR or PM software. Before importing data, patients need to have portal accounts. The easiest way to create a large number of accounts is by using a CSV file or an interface to the EHR/PM system. Once accounts are created, Bridge can import Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) from your EHR or PM software using a common directory on your local server. Bridge’s expert team will guide you through the entire migration and go-live process. No. The Bridge patient portal software can’t bring over the patients’ old passwords, but Bridge makes it easy for patients to set a new password for their automatically created/migrated account. Yes. Bridge is a 2015 certified patient portal. SLI Compliance certified Bridge for 2015 Edition Module EHR / Ambulatory * ONC Health IT Certification. This certification designates that healthcare providers/organizations can use the ONC patient portal for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) pathway of the MACRA Quality Payment Program. Bridge certified on the highest number of criteria (16 modular EHR criteria) of any EHR-independent 3rd party patient portal solution. Bridge Patient Portal v2.0, certification date: Jul 3, 2018, certification ID number: 15.05.05.1947.BRID.01.00.0.180703 Yes. Especially with regards to the Promoting Interoperability (formerly Advancing Care Information) performance category in MIPS. The Promoting Interoperability category is worth 25% of a clinician’s MIPS Final Score. The score is derived on the satisfaction of base score, performance score, and bonus score requirements, all of which are weighted differently in terms of their contribution to the Promoting Interoperability performance category final score. “Patient Electronic Access” is a MIPS measure that is required for the base score and can be achieved through the use of a MIPS patient portal software such as Bridge. There is also the View, Download, and Transmit (VDT) measure that most will recognize as a critical factor in having a patient portal for MU. We believe the best way to become familiar with Bridge and experience its benefits, is an interactive demonstration with one of our patient portal specialists. This demo is customized to the client’s needs and showcases the product’s robust features and capabilities. In some cases, Bridge can provide a demo login to a test environment for a client to interact with the product further. Clients can terminate their Bridge licensing agreement at any time with 30 days written notice. Bridge is a patient portal supplier and pricing is based on a combination of the number of providers and active patients to ensure that clients are not overbilled for under-utilized systems. A provider is considered to be any high-level healthcare business providing care to a patient. This includes MD, DO, DC, N.P., L.Ac., DDS, and DMD. A portion of Bridge’s pricing is based on the number of providers that are going to be using Bridge. Bridge generally does not provide a discount for part-time providers as the majority of the license costs are based on patient utilization. However, exceptions can be made for certain cases. Supporting staff and other administrative staff is not required to purchase a license, as long as there is one active provider license. Yes, Bridge supports proxy patient portal access. Parents can manage an account for their children, provided that their children are under the age of 18 or the age of majority in their state. Modeled after recognizable social media applications, parents can intuitively toggle between the profiles of their children. This feature clearly displays which child’s information the parent may be viewing, allowing the parent to manage his/her child’s appointments, prescription requests, and online medical records with ease. Bridge also has a built-in age of majority software that automatically disconnects a child for a parent’s account when the child reaches the age of majority. Parents can send messages on behalf of their child, and restrictions for sensitive information are supported. To learn more about Pediatric specific portal features, please see: 3 Portal Features Every Pediatric Clinic, and Parent Should Know Bridge offers IVR reminders and notifications, along with bidirectional patient messaging, SMS, Email, and Push-based notifications/reminders. The IVR-based calls also support user-inputted responses (i.e., “Press 1 to confirm, or 2 to cancel your upcoming appointment”) Bridge has a robust admin panel that allows for the easy set up of IVR reminders and notifications, along with bidirectional patient messaging, SMS, Email, and Push-based notifications/reminders. The IVR-based calls also support user-inputted responses (i.e., “Press 1 to confirm, or 2 to cancel your upcoming appointment”). Patients can use a direct messaging protocol granted the provider has a direct message address. Bridge supports patient mass messaging functions in the administration panel. Simply select the criteria of patients that you want to send a message to by selecting from an extensive list of filters, then either export the list of patients to send the message in your email messaging software or send a message directly from Bridge. Bridge supports both SMS and email mass messaging. Messaging can be used to communicate: *Reminder, it is a HIPAA violation to include names or PHI in an email or SMS text. That being said, depending on the content of the email/SMS, who the email/SMS is being sent to, or mechanisms put in place to ensure the integrity of Protected Health Information (PHI), email/SMS can comply with HIPAA in certain circumstances. The patient also can sign an opt-in agreement (where they accept the risks of PHI in messages) with a health organization and receive PHI via email/SMS. The opt-in agreement is a common practice among Bridge clients. To learn more about SMS and Email notifications please see: The Facts about HIPAA and Email/SMS Communication with Patients To learn more about sending appointment reminders securely please see: How to Send Automated Patient Appointment Reminders Without Jeopardizing Patients’ Data Security Bridge currently offers an email-based e-consultation solution with an integrated billing for the e-consultations. Bridge is committed to fully developing its telemedicine solution in 2020. Telemedicine has been many years in the making. The Bridge team has carefully watched the telemedicine market for trends, innovations, and standout vendors. We will be working closely with our clients in the coming months to evaluate the best course of action for our telemedicine solution and explore partnerships with industry-leading vendors. In the meantime, there are many features in Bridge to help our clients facilitate telemedicine encounters and online communication with their patients via 3rd party systems. Yes. Bridge’s HIPAA-compliant medical appointment scheduling software is a rules-based, enterprise-wide scheduling solution. That uses dynamic logic to ensure a patient can work their way through the proper clinical screening and select from conflict-free times within the patient scheduler. The patient scheduling software was built to handle complex scheduling decision trees comfortably and is adaptable to any provider group—forming to the unique schedules of each of their providers. Bridge helps you automate the appointment scheduling process by letting patients book appointments at their own convenience. The appointment request platform is simple for patients to use, and lets them select their doctor and preferred visit time from a list of available appointment slots. Our HIPAA compliant appointment scheduling solution allows you to implement an automated workflow that asks the questions you need to be answered before confirming an appointment, including prompting patients to fill out forms. Choose between two setup configurations that determine what happens once a patient appointment request is received. Bridge’s rule-based patient scheduler ensures that a patient can work their way through the proper clinical screening and select from conflict-free times within the patient scheduler. Patient self-scheduling software was built to handle complex scheduling decision trees and is adaptable to any provider group—forming to the unique schedules of each of their providers. Bridge has a device-neutral patient intake software that seamlessly integrates with EHR/PMS systems to expedite the patient check-in process. Patients interact with a customized patient intake experience that the client has developed with Bridge. Bridge features several pre-built intake forms that can be further customized to your exact needs. There is a small charge for creating a custom patient intake form. The work is billed hourly, and most forms don’t require more than a few hours. Other forms can also be created, including Health Risk Assessments (HRA), surveys, pre-op forms, and medical record release. Yes. Bridge features several pre-built intake forms that can be further customized to your exact needs. There is a small charge for creating a custom patient intake form. The work is billed hourly, and most forms don’t require more than a few hours. Other forms can also be created, including Health Risk Assessments (HRA), surveys, pre-op forms, and medical record release. For more information on intake forms, please see: Why Does Your Medical Practice Need Electronic Patient Intake Forms? Yes. Bridge does have a patient survey software. Patient surveys can be triggered/sent through the following modules: Yes. Clients can utilize three different methods for sending personalized patient education material. Read: New Version 1.1 of Universe mHealth App Platform Released with Family/Proxy Accounts Bridge enables healthcare organizations to have a repository of forms and agreements for patients to sign “e-sign” in the application electronically. These forms/agreements can be triggered at various stages of the patient’s use of the portal, including: Yes, through Bridge’s chronic care management software, care coordinators perform all of the necessary tasks associated with billing for CPT code 99490. Yes, there is a form builder in the chronic care management software that enables administrators to develop custom forms to be used in their CCM program. Bridge contains a form builder in the chronic care management solution that enables administrators to develop custom forms to be used in their CCM program. You can track the time spent providing chronic care management services. The chronic care Management solution has a built-in timer. Every time a care coach accesses a patient chart, reviews the patient health records, updates or modifies the patient’s care plan, or communicates with the patient via phone or email, the time spent in each activity is automatically recorded. At the end of the month, you can run a billing report for each provider that details the amount of time spent on the chronic care management service. Bridge CCM is a chronic care management software solution that helps healthcare providers track medical treatments and health conditions between office visits. It was developed as a tool to increase reimbursements through CPT code 99490, Medicare’s new chronic care management code. Yes, as well as bidirectional patient messaging granted, the provider has a direct message address. Yes, Bridge’s web browser-based application is mobile-friendly by using responsive design. This ensures a user-friendly experience on all devices. Bridge also offers a client-branded healthcare mobile app solution with extensive functionality for interfaces, patient medical records, appointment scheduling, messaging, bill pay, and more. To learn more about Bridge’s mobile app solution, please visit: Universe mHealth Yes. Bridge Patient Portal has gone through multiple rounds of third-party HIPAA audits and is ONC 2015 Edition certified. With the ONC 2015 certification, Bridge’s portal meets or exceeds all security requirements pertaining to patient portal software, as set forth in the standards for MACRA/MIPS and HIPAA. Protecting the privacy of your patients’ personal health information is a top priority for Bridge. As a Bridge customer, you will also sign a Business Associate agreement with Bridge for HIPAA compliance purposes. HIPAA compliant features include: To learn more about security please see: 8 Security Features You Need in an EHR or Patient Portal Bridge Patient Portal is a patient portal company that is committed to the security, compliance, and QA of each individual portal installation. Each portal is hosted on a secure Google cloud server with the appropriate firewalls. Bridge undergoes annual third-party HIPAA audits and various other security-related audits, Bridge also staffs a full-time compliance officer. Offer your patients a HIPAA compliant patient portal with Bridge Patient Portal. Healthcare providers in the US must comply with HIPAA regulations, which were designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients’ medical records and other health information supplied to health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare entities. These regulations extend to all types of healthcare technologies that doctors might use to store and manage patient information. Although there is no definitive HIPAA certification for any organization, IT companies can be HIPAA-compliant. This means that they adhere to HIPAA regulations and take the necessary steps to ensure their products effectively protect sensitive patient information. Bridge has a long history in helping healthcare organizations meet and understand HIPAA guidelines as they are developers of a HIPAA compliant patient portal. To learn more about HIPAA and healthcare applications, please see: HIPAA and Healthcare Applications, Part 1 of 3: What You Need to Know About User Authentication HIPAA and Healthcare Applications, Part 2 of 3: What You Need to Know About Auditing HIPAA and Healthcare Applications, Part 3 of 3: What You Need to Know About Data Transfer Bridge Patient Portal currently interfaces with: Bridge patient portal hosting can be your healthcare organization’s responsibility, or the portal can be hosted by Bridge, depending on your healthcare organization’s preference. If you wish to not host on Bridge’s cloud server you have these additional options: Read: Patient portal Hosting for Security, Compliance and Development Training hours are included in all purchases of Bridge patient portal solution. Bridge’s training sessions are typically carried out online via GoToMeeting. Many of Bridge’s clients opt for a “train the trainer” approach, rather than having every member of their organization meet with a trainer from Bridge. If you choose this option, we will train an individual or a select group of people at your organization to use the portal. They can then, in turn, teach the rest of your healthcare staff. In addition to online training, Bridge can provide clients with a product manual and how-to videos that explain some of the different functions and capabilities of the patient portal. Bridge will work with your team to develop these training materials and overall training plan. Bridge will provide ongoing support to all clients. Support shall include telephone or email assistance in remedying situations and problems with the operation and performance of the patient portal software. This support is available during Bridge’s regular business hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Unless otherwise specified, Bridge will be responsible for providing Level 2 support only. Level 2 support is defined as support relating to the software or server, where advanced technical, development, and server administration knowledge is required. This includes, but is not limited to, troubleshooting of software bugs, server administration, and database administration. Level 1 support, defined as the support provided directly to patients (i.e., login issues, missing information from a medical record, etc.), is generally the responsibility of the client. However, arrangements can be made to where Bridge can handle these support responsibilities. Yes. Bridge offers a white-labeled version of our patient portal for organizations looking to displace their native EHR patient portal. The ONC 2015 certified patient portal is built using Angular and is available as a web application and mobile app (iOS and Android). For our EHR partner resellers, we offer competitive wholesale pricing, as well as access to our fully documented API. HL7 interfaces are also supported by Bridge. Bridge is uniquely positioned to deliver to healthcare organizations an exceptional patient engagement platform. After 8+ years of intense development, Bridge now finds itself in a unique position to capitalize on other vendors’ shortcomings and growing customer demand for patient engagement solutions. What sets Bridge apart from our competitors: As the healthcare industry grows in complexity, it’s crucial to have a partner to optimize communication and interoperability between systems. Through high R&D spending (50% of expenses) Bridge has been able to thrive in the ever-changing, disorganized healthcare market. Vendors are struggling to keep up with customer needs and have significantly higher operating costs, high customer acquisition costs, and obsolete software platforms. Yes. In partnership with our strategic partner Medical Web Experts (www.medicalwebexperts.com), Bridge offers a wide range of healthcare website design and healthcare marketing services, ensuring maximum engagement across your patient population. Medical Web Experts have over ten years of experience in medical web design and app development for the healthcare industry, working with some of healthcare’s largest health systems. Bridge controls the source code and does not allow clients to have access to it. However, if requested and at an additional cost, a client can be a beneficiary of the source code through Bridge’s source code escrow program. This protects the code in the event of an unforeseen disaster or modification that would render Bridge incapable of continuing to support and maintain the patient portal software application. Want to Learn More? Contact Bridge online or call us at (800) 467-2321 to learn more or schedule a free demo. Bridge asks for 30 days notice before you cancel your license. The short answer is yes. That being said, depending on the content of the email/SMS, who the email/SMS is being sent to, or mechanisms put in place to ensure the integrity of Protected Health Information (PHI), email/SMS can HIPAA compliant messaging in certain circumstances. The patient also can sign an opt-in agreement (where they accept the risks of PHI in messages) with a health organization and receive PHI via email/SMS. The opt-in agreement is a common practice among Bridge clients. For more information, please see: The Facts about HIPAA and Email/SMS Communication with Patients Skype® is currently not HIPAA compliant. While Skype’s ® encryption methods are secure, one of the most compelling reasons against the use of Skype® for healthcare provider-patient communication is that Skype® will not enter into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is required under the HIPAA Omnibus Rule. Organizations that use the software to communicate with patients over the Internet should be aware of the risks involved and consider using other video conferencing platforms instead. Read: Is Skype® HIPAA Compliant?What is Bridge Patient Portal?
How can a patient portal help my organization/practice?
Why is Bridge Patient Portal better than the others?
Is Bridge Certified? HIPAA, ONC, MACRA?
What kind of features and functionality does Bridge offer? And is it customizable?
Do we have to use/purchase the entire solution?
Can our patients use their mobile phones to access the portal?
Can I send mass messages to my patients?
What is the Bridge Patient Portal solution?
How do I track the time I have spent in providing Chronic Care Management services?
Does Bridge offer automated patient notification via SMS and Email
How are provider user licenses counted for pricing?
Can providers and patients use Skype® for telemedicine?
Is Zoom HIPAA compliant?
Is there a Bridge Patient Portal app?
Is Bridge a full patient engagement solution?
What softwares does the Bridge patient engagement solution include?
Can the patient portal application be customized?
Can I request a new feature for my portal?
Can I interface Bridge to my Electronic Health Record (EHR), Revenue Cycle Management (RCM), or Practice Management (PM) software?
How can I initially populate the portal with my EHR/PM software data?
Do my patients have the same login and password once the portal is migrated?
Is Bridge a 2015 ONC certified patient portal?
Can I use the patient portal for MACRA/MIPS attestation?
Can I try the product before I buy it?
How is pricing calculated?
Does Bridge support proxy managed accounts for dependents?
Does Bridge offer IVR services for notifications or reminders?
What messaging features does Bridge offer?
Does Bridge offer video e-consultations for telemedicine as part of its patient portal solution?
Does Bridge offer patient appointment scheduling software?
Can Bridge’s patient self scheduling software support dynamic logic?
How does Bridge handle patient intake
Can I have custom patient intake forms?
Does Bridge have patient survey software?
Can I use Bridge’s patient engagement software to send personalized patient education?
How does Bridge handle patient consent management?
Does Bridge Patient Portal have software for CPT 99490?
Can I customize chronic care management forms?
How does Bridge handle chronic care management?
Can a patient use the direct messaging protocol?
Is your patient portal mobile friendly?
Is Bridge a HIPAA compliant patient portal?
How does Bridge ensure HIPAA compliance in each portal?
What are HIPAA-compliant advanced IT solutions?
What EHR’s does your product currently interface with?
Who is responsible for patient portal hosting?
What type of training is included?
What type of support is included?
Does Bridge offer a white-label patient portal?
How is Bridge different from other patient engagement solution vendors?
Do you offer medical web design services?
Who has access to the application source code?
What’s Bridge’s cancellation policy?
Is it a HIPAA violation to include names or PHI in an email or SMS text?
Is Skype® HIPAA compliant?