Background

Why Healthmail?

Email is ubiquitous in our business and personal lives. Normal email has not been utilised in healthcare because it is not secure; it can be read as it moves across the Internet and while resting on mail servers. Secure email is encrypted in transit and stored on secure mail servers. The profusion of viruses and malware distributed via normal email is another reason to adopt Healthmail for clinical communication. Healthmail is described as a ‘secure clinical email’ service, in that it is suitable for communicating patient-identifiable clinical information by email. For patients with chronic disease and multiple illnesses, there is a need for a team approach to care, involving the participation of various healthcare providers. In the business world, email aids everyday work and helps ensure optimal performance in communication. As secure email for clinical purposes becomes established in primary care, the range of use cases will grow exponentially. Initially, as an enabling tool, Healthmail will replace faxes and some phone calls and bring primary care communications into the 21^st century.