In an era dominated by digital transformation, the humble fax machine may seem outdated. And yet, it remains one of the most secure and reliable ways of transmitting information across medical providers and systems.
For healthcare providers, especially those managing prescriptions, a fax number remains a critical part of running a compliant and connected clinic. While e-prescribing has streamlined many aspects of medication management, it hasn’t eliminated the need for fax—especially when working across providers, pharmacies, and systems that aren't fully integrated.
Why Fax Still Matters in Healthcare
1. Fax is HIPAA-Compliant When Used Correctly
Despite being considered an older technology, faxing remains a secure, HIPAA-compliant method for transmitting patient information—especially when using a secure, electronic fax solution. It offers traceability and reliability when sending sensitive records such as prescriptions, lab requests, and referral documents.
2. Cross-System Communication Still Relies on Fax
Healthcare providers often interact with outside systems—specialists, labs, pharmacies, or billing teams—that may not use the same EMR or have API integrations in place. Faxing remains a default method of communication across these gaps, ensuring continuity of care even when systems don’t sync natively.
3. Not All Pharmacies Are Fully Integrated
While most chain pharmacies and some larger systems support fully electronic transmission of prescriptions, smaller or independent pharmacies may not. In these cases, prescriptions often need to be faxed manually—especially for controlled substances or compounded medications. A fax number ensures that yo
4. E-Prescribing Regulations Require a Fax Fallback
State and federal regulations often require that a fallback option be available for e-prescriptions in case of technical failure - it’s a requirement for our e-prescribing integration as well. A valid fax number allows your practice to continue operations without disruption, keeping you compliant and responsive.
How OptiMantra Supports Secure Faxing for Clinics
OptiMantra understands that modern clinics need flexibility and compliance when managing prescriptions. That’s why the platform integrates fax functionality directly into the workflow. You can send prescriptions and documentation securely via fax from within the system—without needing to toggle between different tools.
Fun Fax Features Include
- Fax any one any document (it doesn’t have to be tied to your EMR)
- Quickly fax patient referrals (and email referrals too)Manage your easy-to-use fax inbox and drop fax results directly into a patient chart
- And set your custom cover letter
- Create tasks directly from a fax for follow-up
- Easily annotate on faxed documents in the patient chart
Easily share faxed documents back with patients via the patient portal or emailFor clinics using OptiMantra’s e-prescribing module, having a fax number on file is essential. It not only ensures your clinic meets industry requirements, but also helps maintain reliable communication with pharmacies and other care providers that still depend on fax as a standard.
Whether you’re just getting started or scaling across locations, OptiMantra helps streamline and modernize your operations—while supporting the essential systems that healthcare still relies on.
Try a free 15 day trial here.
