Medical offices either considering or currently using a cloud-based service for data storage, retrieval, and patient access have specific fortifications that need to be addressed with a Business Associates Agreement (BAA).

As SMS services use the public telephone network and equipment unless encrypted, they are not HIPAA secure. Many SMS services on the market tender their encryption safeguards and HIPAA secure environments. However, a thorough investigation and understanding of these services prior to any contracting is a must.

Risk Analysis is a thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of e-PHI held by the office. The Risk Analysis uses a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to be assessed to assure that e-PHI is being kept confidential.

As publicized throughout 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has taken action to strengthen privacy and security protections for health information established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

As with conventional medicine, a telehealth and video caregiver must uphold to the same duties to safeguard a patients' medical records and keep their treatments confidential.