Faxing in healthcare isn’t ancient history – it’s daily reality. From referrals to medical records requests, it’s still one of the fastest ways to move patient information between organizations. The problem isn’t that fax exists—it’s that many workflows are stuck using outdated, insecure processes.
When protected health information (PHI) is involved, the smallest slip can turn into a HIPAA violation, a costly breach, or a blow to patient trust. And too often, those mistakes happen because the technology hasn’t kept up with compliance requirements.
Here are the five most common fax security mistakes I see in healthcare every week—and how Documo makes it easy to fix them.
1. Leaving inbound faxes sitting on a machine
The risk:
That stack of paper sitting on a fax machine in the hallway? It’s a HIPAA incident waiting to happen. Anyone walking past—staff, patients, or even delivery drivers—can see sensitive information.
How Documo fixes it:
With Documo’s cloud fax, inbound faxes never touch a physical machine. They’re delivered instantly to the right user’s secure inbox inside the portal or your EHR workflow. Access is limited to authorized users, and every view is logged. No paper, no hallway exposure, no guessing who saw it.
2. Sending to the wrong number
The risk:
It takes just one misdialed number for PHI to land in the wrong hands. HIPAA calls that an unauthorized disclosure—and it’s not something you can just “take back.”
How Documo fixes it:
- Built-in number verification ensures fax numbers are valid before sending, reducing failed transmissions.
- Address book restrictions let admins control who users can send faxes to, limiting outbound messages to approved recipients.
- Send confirmation screens allow users to review fax details before sending to catch typos or errors.
- Role-based permissions give admins control over who can send faxes and who can only view or receive them.
It’s like having guardrails that keep your team from sending PHI into the void.
3. Using shared or generic logins
The risk:
When multiple staff share the same login, there’s no way to know who sent or accessed a fax. In an audit, “we’re not sure who did it” is not an acceptable answer.
How Documo fixes it:
Every Documo user has a unique login with customizable role permissions. You can require strong passwords, enable single sign-on (SSO), and integrate with your identity provider so staff use their existing credentials.
The best part? Audit logs capture exactly who did what and when – no more mystery senders.
4. Storing faxes without encryption
The risk:
Some providers store inbound and outbound faxes unencrypted on local drives or outdated servers. That’s a compliance risk—and leaves sensitive data vulnerable to unauthorized access.
How Documo fixes it:
- TLS 1.2+ encryption for faxes in transit
- AES-256 encryption for faxes at rest
- HIPAA-compliant, SOC 2 Type II-certified data centers in the U.S.
- Configurable retention policies so you can store only what you need, for as long as you need it
Your data stays protected end-to-end, whether it’s in motion or sitting in your archive.
5. Skipping audit trails and reporting
The risk:
Without detailed logs, you can’t prove that a fax was sent, delivered, or viewed. That makes audits harder and defending against false claims nearly impossible.
How Documo fixes it:
Every fax in Documo is tied to a detailed, immutable audit trail with:
- Timestamps for send, delivery, and view events
- Sender and recipient information
- Status updates (delivered, failed, pending)
- Confirmation receipts
Need to show proof of compliance? You can export reports on demand, filtered by date, user, or workflow.
Why Secure Cloud Fax Matters
Faxing isn’t going away in healthcare anytime soon. But unsecured, outdated workflows don’t have to be part of the picture.By moving to Documo’s HIPAA-compliant cloud fax, healthcare organizations get:
- Secure, encrypted transmission and storage
- Role-based access controls and SSO
- Built-in safeguards to prevent misdials and unauthorized sends
- Instant delivery to the right inbox—no paper sitting around
- Complete audit trails for every transaction
It’s everything fax should have been from the start—fast, reliable, and secure.If you’re ready to eliminate these five risks from your workflows, Documo can help you make the switch without disrupting care. Let’s make faxing one less thing you have to worry about.
