Case Study: Ascension Michigan achieves secure, HIPAA-compliant clinical communication and faster care with PerfectServe

Enhancing Clinical Communication Security with PerfectServe

Ascension Michigan (formerly St. John Providence Health System) faced rising security and workflow challenges as physicians increasingly used text and mobile devices to exchange protected health information. Concerned about HIPAA compliance, breaches from lost portable devices, and insecure channels like carrier texts and switchboards, Ascension needed a secure, comprehensive clinical communication solution—PerfectServe’s cloud‑based Clinical Collaboration platform.

Ascension implemented PerfectServe (initial rollout in 2007 and a physician‑to‑physician secure module added in 2013) to deliver encrypted, server‑hosted messaging, secure voice messages, and dynamic routing that bypasses answering services. PerfectServe streamlined physician workflows, reduced clinician frustration, alleviated leadership’s portable‑device security worries, and drove rapid adoption—more than 1,000 physicians voluntarily enrolled across all five hospitals—while improving HIPAA compliance and convenience across the system.

Ascension

Mike Burke

HIPAA Privacy Officer