HIPAA requires the use of equipment that allows for audit trails. Before using any equipment, the professional should require documentation that explicitly promises ”HIPAA compliance” or “HIPAA compatibility.” One could take further comfort in a designation of Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) certification, a standard that may meet and exceed HIPAA standards. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) holds professionals responsible for conducting their own internal risk assessments regarding their chosen technologies. Video-chat platforms were developed for marketing to the general consumer, and not for health care.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Ordinarily, neither federal nor state law is designed to regulate specific proprietary entities such as Skype and its competitors. Thus, it is prudent to consider the issues. 1,2 Wisely or otherwise, some of this growth will likely occur via Skype. According to estimates reported by groups such as the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism, telehealth is poised to grow by 55% in 2013 alone, and 6-fold by 2017. What it does not offer, however, is a means of communication clearly suitable for clinical services-especially in mental health. First released in 2003, Skype offers free, worldwide video access to any patient with an Internet connection, either by mobile device or desktop computer.

Skype sexting privacy settings