"OK, are you ready to take down my email address?"

"No, we don't have that capability. We can only fax it"

"Fax it? Lady, are you trapped in 1991?"

(Actually from a conversation with a doctor's office while attempting to get a school excuse for my son)

May be a deliberate choice.

There's this belief in several industries that email isn't "secure enough", so confidential material (like medical paperwork) can only be safely faxed because fax is "secure".

Like blindly sending those special papers to a fax number that may or may not be correct, and that anyone walking by that fax machine can pick up and read, is any more secure. (Plus the fact that most folks don't have access to a fax machine, and even most businesses don't have fax capability any more, whereas everyone has email.)

Besides, there are any number of ways to send secure documents through email these days.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

Some lawyers (read: old lawyers) still rely on fax machines, much to the irritation of their support staff in most cases.

In order to deal with them, I pay something like $5/mo. for a MetroFax account so I can send and receive “faxes” online. (There are plenty of eFax services out there, including free ones, but MetroFax fit my needs at a good price and I’ve been happy with the service.)

-Rob

quote:

MetroFax account so I can send and receive “faxes” online

More than likely what they are using. I will not fax anything if someone needs something from me in their favor, I refuse

For some reason, physician's offices use this as method of communication. Email unless encrypted is not secure.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
For some reason, physician's offices use this as method of communication. Email unless encrypted is not secure.

Nobody cares if the doctors excuse is intercepted by the Russians. Lots of places deal in secure data and manage to have secure ways of dealing with data and email.

JJones, I totally agree, it’s ancient technology and it’s time to get with the times.

But for perspective, the first police use of teletypes was in 1927. I always chuckle when our dispatchers tell us they’re still waiting on the official teletype. Some things just never die.

Most new cell phones will accept a fax.

quote:

Nobody cares if the doctors excuse is intercepted by the Russians. Lots of places deal in secure data and manage to have secure ways of dealing with data and email.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You are lucky some docs charge ten bucks for excuses.LOL Physician revenue is down and office expenses are up.


The fax is typically sent DIRECTLY to the school. Most schools have faxes in the front office and often insist that it be sent by the doctor's office not the parent.

quote:

Most new cell phones will accept a fax.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Any special settings? Will it work with an Iphone?? Thanks Did not know this.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Any special settings? Will it work with an Iphone?? Thanks Did not know this.

Check this out. All you need is an app, ZSM.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/06/18...end-fax-iphone-ipad/

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
For some reason, physician's offices use this as method of communication. Email unless encrypted is not secure.

Nobody cares if the doctors excuse is intercepted by the Russians. Lots of places deal in secure data and manage to have secure ways of dealing with data and email.

HIPAA cares.

But I agree about the fax. Realtor and financial companies use a secure system like docusign for sending critical or confidential documents.

Regular USPS mailing and faxing is considered secure, but, email is not considered secure under HIPAA.

Hence most doctors offices will not use email for any Personal Health Information (PHI) related data as they could get nailed for violating Federal law.

If your provider is on an Electronic Health record system that allows for patients to log in - you can use that system's secure mail option to download an attachment they place in there.

And in related news, when I called my doctor's office to ask to see the doctor, they inquired if I was sick. I replied that I felt badly, and wanted a doctor to evaluate me. My own doctor's office stated that they did not see sick people. So, I was not welcome there.

They suggested that I go to a related office, same practice, different location, that did see sick people. As long as they were not too sick.

So I had to see a stranger. He prescribed something that did not work. I don't know if my doctor would have prescribed something any better, but my goodness gracious, if you are in the medical profession are you not supposed to see sick people.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
And in related news, when I called my doctor's office to ask to see the doctor, they inquired if I was sick. I replied that I felt badly, and wanted a doctor to evaluate me. My own doctor's office stated that they did not see sick people. So, I was not welcome there.

They suggested that I go to a related office, same practice, different location, that did see sick people. As long as they were not too sick.

So I had to see a stranger. He prescribed something that did not work. I don't know if my doctor would have prescribed something any better, but my goodness gracious, if you are in the medical profession are you not supposed to see sick people.

It seems some larger practices have some offices that are doing wellness checks, med checks, physicals etc and other that are seeing the 'sick patients.' The hope is the 'sick' do not pass colds, flu, COVID to those that are there for routine checks/physicals. I'm not saying that makes sense or is right, that just what seems to be happening.

One of my doctor office has gone heavy into telemed. You have to be able to take your temp and blood pressure. A nurse talks with you first then it's a video call with the doctor.

Fuck HIPAA
Fuck HIPAA
Fuck HIPAA

It has done a huge amount to decrease the doctor-patient relationship; it makes lawyers and bureaucrats happy.

Doctors and nurses won’t talk about it, but they hate it.

How about parents of mentally ill children, the only people who actually care about them, but can’t get information from health care providers?

How about sitting with your wife talking to a specialist, you have the appointment, she won’t talk about the wife’s similar issue EVEN THOUGH SHE’S SITTING RIGHT THERE.
The Law of Unintended Consequences IS A LAW.

Did I mention I don’t like HIPAA?

Thank GOD I’m retired. Of all the burdens that practicing physicians have to bear, I consider that the worst.

Yes there are people who invade privacy, but this law is tremendous overkill.

quote:

Did I mention I don’t like HIPAA?

Thank GOD I’m retired. Of all the burdens that practicing physicians have to bear, I consider that the worst.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am with you on that. Telemed and the associated tech difficulties are now outpacing EHR.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

Most new cell phones will accept a fax.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Any special settings? Will it work with an Iphone?? Thanks Did not know this.

Your Iphone already has the feature to scan a document and create a PDF and thus email it. Link to Apple

The APP store has a free utility, Adobe Scan, that does those things for you too.
.