Sending a patient’s clinical information to another doctor via fax could result in a violation. Still, information needs to be exchanged and one way to do that is to use tools designed specifically for that function.

One such tool is the Akario Exchange Suite from DrFirst. The Exchange Suite is a secure messaging platform designed specifically for the medical community. Exchange Suite includes both web-based and mobile applications that let doctors send everything from referrals to clinical data securely.

DrFirst’s Exchange Suite gives doctors several options for sending patient information, all of which are HIPAA compliant. Exchange Suite includes Akario Mail, Akario Backline, and Akario Enterprise.

Akario Email is available as a web-based application for use on a desktop, or as a free download from the App store for the Apple iPad, iPod, or iTouch.

Akario Mail lets doctors send referral info, clinical data, discharge summaries and other clinical information. Since Akario mail is intended for medical use, it has the ability to send media rich files, including video, audio and photos, up to 20MB.

Ikaria Backline is a secure messaging service that works just like a standard text service, but it is secure. With Backline, doctors have a way to communicate with other doctors and staff members in real time.
It is compatible with iPhones, Android and Tablet.

Akario Enterprise is the administrative side of Akario Backline. With Enterprise, administrators can monitor Backline users, filter content and send group messages.