OhMD vs Falkon SMS for Secure Healthcare Communication
- Amila Udowita
- Apr 13
- 12 min read
If you are a healthcare provider trying to decide between OhMD and Falkon SMS for secure patient communication, you have landed on the right page. Both platforms are HIPAA compliant, both let you text patients from your existing office number, and both offer signed Business Associate Agreements. But beyond those shared basics, they serve meaningfully different practice profiles at very different price points.
This guide breaks down every important dimension: HIPAA compliance depth, security certifications, features, pricing, EHR integrations, and patient experience. By the end, you will have a clear picture of which platform fits your practice and why.
Standard SMS is not HIPAA compliant. Sending protected health information through a regular text message is a violation that can trigger fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 per incident, up to $1.5 million per violation category annually. Every healthcare organization communicating with patients via text needs a dedicated HIPAA compliant platform with encryption, access controls, audit trails, and a signed BAA. The question is not whether to use one, it is which one serves your workflow best.
Why Secure Healthcare Communication Matters in 2026
Text messaging has become the dominant communication preference for patients. Research shows that 98% of text messages are read, compared to roughly 20% of calls from unfamiliar numbers that are even answered. In medical practices, 42% of incoming patient calls go unanswered during business hours, and each missed call represents approximately $200 in lost appointment revenue.
The shift toward HIPAA compliant texting is not just about compliance avoidance. It is about closing the communication gap between healthcare providers and patients in the channel patients already use. The challenge has always been doing it safely, and that is where the right platform makes all the difference.
What Is OhMD?
OhMD is a HIPAA compliant patient communication platform designed specifically for physician practices. Its core capability is two-way HIPAA compliant texting from your existing office number, paired with AI-powered voice agents that handle routine patient calls and convert them to text conversations.
OhMD is built around reducing phone call volume and front desk burden. Practices using OhMD report a 68% reduction in staff-handled calls and a 65% reduction in related costs. The platform integrates with over 85 electronic health record systems, making it a natural fit for practices where EHR documentation is central to the daily workflow.
OhMD Key Features
OhMD offers a comprehensive feature set focused on patient engagement and clinical workflow integration.
Two-way HIPAA compliant texting from your existing practice phone number
AI voice agent that answers calls, handles routine requests, and converts to text
Integration with 85+ EHR systems including Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, Nextech, DrChrono, and ModMed
Unified inbox for phone calls, texts, and web chats
HIPAA compliant video visits sent via text link (no app download required)
HIPAA compliant website chat widget
Patient consent management with date-and-time-stamped consent records
One-click EHR push for full conversation documentation
Automatic BAA for every user, accessible in-app
Encryption using TLS RSA with ARIA-256-CBC/SHA-384 in transit and AES-256 at rest on AWS HIPAA infrastructure
Audit logs with timestamps and user identification
Role-based user management with centralized admin controls
No PHI stored on personal devices
Who OhMD Is Built For
OhMD is purpose-built for medical practices, particularly those that rely heavily on EHR systems and need to reduce front desk phone volume through AI automation. It is an especially strong fit for multi-provider outpatient practices, family medicine groups, cardiology, orthopedics, and any specialty where routine calls (lab results, referrals, appointment scheduling) consume significant staff time.
What Is Falkon SMS?
Falkon SMS is a HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant business texting platform that allows healthcare practices to text-enable their existing office landline, toll-free, VoIP, or Microsoft Teams number without any hardware changes. Patients contact the practice through the same number they already have saved in their phones, which removes confusion and keeps all communication centralized.
Where Falkon SMS stands apart from most healthcare messaging platforms is its dual compliance certification. It holds both HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance, making it one of a very small group of texting platforms that meet the security requirements for healthcare, legal, and financial services simultaneously. Its security infrastructure is built to the most demanding regulatory standards, not added on as an afterthought.
Falkon SMS Key Features
Falkon SMS combines HIPAA compliant communication with practical business texting tools under a single platform.
Text-enable existing landlines, toll-free numbers, VoIP numbers, and Microsoft Teams numbers
HIPAA and SOC 2 dual compliance with signed BAA available for all healthcare customers
End-to-end encryption for messages in transit and at rest
Secure file sharing protected by facial recognition technology
Secure chat for internal team communication
Complete audit logs covering all messaging activity
Role-based access controls with shared team inbox and assignable conversations
Two-factor authentication
Group texting and broadcast messaging for patient notifications
Keyword auto-replies for after-hours patient inquiries
Scheduled messaging for appointment reminders and follow-ups
MMS support for images, documents, and multimedia
Real-time usage monitoring with transferable, never-expiring add-on credits
Native Microsoft Teams integration, HubSpot integration, Clio integration, Slack SMS, Outlook Contacts, Webex SMS
10% nonprofit discount on all plans
No setup fees or hidden charges
Who Falkon SMS Is Built For
Falkon SMS is built for medical practices, dental offices, clinics, home health agencies, and multi-specialty groups that want HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant texting at an accessible price point. It is also ideal for organizations that need a single compliant platform across departments, such as practices that manage both clinical communication (HIPAA) and billing or legal correspondence (SOC 2). Nonprofits benefit from the 10% discount, and organizations using Microsoft Teams get native integration without switching their calling infrastructure.
HIPAA Compliance Compared Side by Side
Both OhMD and Falkon SMS meet the core requirements for HIPAA compliant texting. However, the depth and breadth of their compliance posture differs in ways that matter for some organizations.
Compliance Element | OhMD | Falkon SMS |
Signed BAA | Yes, automatic for all users | Yes, provided to all healthcare customers |
Encryption in transit | TLS RSA with ARIA-256-CBC/SHA-384 | End-to-end encryption (TLS) |
Encryption at rest | AES-256 on AWS HIPAA infrastructure | End-to-end encryption at rest |
Audit logs | Full logs with one-click EHR push | Complete audit logs |
Role-based access controls | Yes | Yes |
Patient consent management | Documented, date-time-stamped | Built-in consent tools |
No PHI on personal devices | Yes | Yes |
SOC 2 Certification | No | Yes |
HiTrust / NIST | HiTrust assessed, NIST compliant | Not specified |
The most significant compliance difference is SOC 2 certification. Falkon SMS holds both HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance. OhMD does not hold SOC 2 certification. For organizations that operate across healthcare and other regulated industries (financial services, legal, insurance), SOC 2 certification is often required by enterprise risk management or IT security policies. For a purely clinical practice, this distinction may not be critical, but for multi-department organizations, it changes the calculation significantly.
Feature Comparison at a Glance
Feature | OhMD | Falkon SMS |
Text from existing office number | Yes | Yes |
Two-way patient texting | Yes | Yes |
AI voice agent | Yes | No |
85+ EHR integrations | Yes | No (HubSpot, Teams, Clio) |
Video visits via text | Yes | No |
Website chat widget | Yes | No |
Microsoft Teams integration | No | Yes (native) |
Secure file sharing | Yes | Yes (facial recognition protected) |
Secure internal chat | No | Yes |
Group broadcast messaging | Limited | Yes |
Keyword auto-replies | No | Yes |
Scheduled messaging | Yes | Yes |
MMS support | Yes | Yes |
Shared team inbox | Yes | Yes |
SOC 2 compliance | No | Yes |
Nonprofit discount | Not specified | 10% off |
Free trial (no credit card) | No | Yes |
OhMD's clearest advantage is its AI voice agent and its depth of EHR integrations. For practices that are heavily invested in a major EHR system and need that integration to work seamlessly, OhMD delivers in a way Falkon SMS currently does not match.
Falkon SMS's clearest advantages are compliance depth (HIPAA + SOC 2), Microsoft Teams integration, facial recognition secure file sharing, broadcast keyword auto-replies, and significantly lower pricing. For practices that do not need dozens of EHR integrations but do need a secure, reliable, and affordable texting platform with a strong compliance posture, Falkon SMS covers more ground.
Pricing Compared
Pricing is where the comparison becomes stark.
Falkon SMS Pricing (Annual Plan)
Free trial available, no credit card required
Essential Plan: $14.99 per user per month (unlimited 1-on-1 texting, 250 group messages per month)
Pro Plan: $24.99 per user per month (unlimited 1-on-1 texting, 500 group messages per month, HIPAA compliance with BAA)
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing with tailored SLA and dedicated success manager
Monthly pricing: Essential at $17.99/user/month, Pro at $29.99/user/month
Annual plans save up to 20%
No setup fees, no hidden charges
Add-on group texting credits available at $29.99 for 1,000 credits (credits never expire and are transferable)
Nonprofits receive 10% off
OhMD Pricing
Free tier available for basic two-way texting
Paid plans (with EHR integrations and advanced features) start at $250 per month
Enterprise pricing is custom and requires contacting sales
The pricing gap between these two platforms is significant. A small practice with two or three users on Falkon SMS's Pro plan pays roughly $50 to $90 per month for full HIPAA compliance with BAA. That same practice on OhMD's paid tier starts at $250 per month, more than three times the cost before any per-user scaling.
For large practices or health systems with many providers, OhMD's flat-rate model may become more competitive. But for independent practices, small clinics, dental offices, and home health agencies, Falkon SMS's per-user pricing structure is considerably more accessible.
EHR and Software Integrations
EHR integration is OhMD's strongest differentiator. It connects natively with over 85 EHR platforms, including the most widely used systems in the United States.
OhMD EHR integrations include athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, Nextech, DrChrono, ModMed, Epic, Cerner, Allscripts, and many more. After a text conversation, staff can push the full conversation to the patient's chart with a single click, eliminating manual documentation.
Falkon SMS does not offer direct EHR integrations in the same breadth. Its integrations are business-focused: Microsoft Teams (native), HubSpot, Clio, Slack SMS, Outlook Contacts, and Webex SMS. For practices that need two-way EHR documentation and do not want to manually copy conversation notes, OhMD is the stronger choice.
However, it is worth noting that many smaller practices do not actually use EHR integration features to their full depth, and for those practices, Falkon SMS's HubSpot connection and manual workflow are often sufficient.
Security Depth Beyond HIPAA
Most healthcare communication platforms achieve HIPAA compliance and stop there. Falkon SMS takes a different approach by pursuing SOC 2 Type II certification in addition to HIPAA compliance.
SOC 2 is a rigorous independent audit framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. It evaluates a company's controls around security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Achieving SOC 2 certification requires third-party auditing and ongoing compliance work that goes beyond HIPAA's requirements.
The practical implication for healthcare organizations is this: a platform that holds both HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance has been audited by two independent frameworks for security and data protection. This is particularly meaningful for multi-specialty groups, health systems with enterprise IT security reviews, and organizations that handle billing, legal, or financial communications alongside clinical messaging.
Falkon SMS also includes facial recognition protection for secure file sharing, an additional layer of identity verification that goes beyond standard password-protected file access. This matters when sharing lab results, imaging, or other sensitive clinical documents via text.
OhMD is HiTrust assessed and NIST compliant, which are credible third-party validations of its security posture. HiTrust is a respected healthcare-specific security framework that includes rigorous assessment criteria. For practices that are primarily clinical and healthcare-focused, OhMD's HiTrust and NIST compliance provides strong assurance.
Ease of Use and Patient Experience
Both platforms prioritize a frictionless patient experience by ensuring patients do not need to download an app or create a portal account to receive and reply to messages. This is one of the most important design decisions in healthcare texting. Patient portal adoption rates are notoriously low, and requiring patients to log in through a portal is a reliable way to kill response rates.
With OhMD, patients receive a standard SMS. If the message contains PHI, they receive a secure link they tap to view the content in their mobile browser with no account creation required. Everyday non-PHI messages (appointment reminders, scheduling confirmations) go out as standard SMS that lands directly in their text thread.
Falkon SMS works similarly. Patients receive messages from the practice's existing number, which they already recognize, and can reply as they would to any text. The familiarity of the practice number alone significantly improves open and response rates compared to platforms that require a new shortcode or unfamiliar number.
On the staff side, both platforms offer a shared inbox model where team members can see and manage conversations without switching between apps. Falkon SMS includes a secure internal chat feature, allowing staff to communicate with each other within the same compliance framework, which OhMD does not currently offer.
Which Platform Is Right for Your Practice
Choose OhMD If Your Practice
Relies on a major EHR system (Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, or others in the 85+ network) and needs seamless, one-click documentation
Wants AI-powered voice agent capabilities to handle routine patient calls automatically
Needs HIPAA compliant video visits delivered directly via text link
Is a mid-sized to large practice where the $250/month starting price is offset by the value of AI call handling and EHR documentation savings
Wants a HIPAA compliant website chat widget built into the same platform
Choose Falkon SMS If Your Practice
Wants HIPAA and SOC 2 dual compliance for healthcare, legal, or financial departments
Is a small to mid-sized practice, dental office, clinic, or home health agency where the per-user pricing ($14.99 to $24.99/month) is significantly more cost-effective
Already uses Microsoft Teams and wants native texting built directly into that environment
Needs secure file sharing with facial recognition for sensitive document exchange
Wants broadcast messaging and keyword auto-replies for after-hours patient inquiries
Is a nonprofit organization that benefits from the 10% discount
Wants to try before committing with a no-credit-card free trial
Operates across multiple regulated industries and needs a single compliant platform
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OhMD or Falkon SMS more HIPAA compliant?
Both OhMD and Falkon SMS meet HIPAA compliance requirements. Falkon SMS goes further with SOC 2 Type II certification in addition to HIPAA compliance, while OhMD holds HiTrust assessment and NIST compliance. For purely clinical practices, both provide sufficient HIPAA safeguards. For organizations with broader compliance requirements, Falkon SMS's dual certification provides additional assurance.
How much does OhMD cost compared to Falkon SMS?
OhMD's paid plans start at $250 per month for features including EHR integrations. Falkon SMS starts at $14.99 per user per month on the annual Essential plan, with HIPAA compliance and BAA available on the Pro plan at $24.99 per user per month. For a small practice with two or three staff members, Falkon SMS can cost significantly less than OhMD.
Do patients need to download an app for either platform?
No. Both OhMD and Falkon SMS allow patients to receive and respond to messages through their standard SMS app without downloading any additional application or creating a portal account. This is a critical feature for improving patient response rates.
Does Falkon SMS integrate with EHR systems?
Falkon SMS integrates with HubSpot, Microsoft Teams, Clio, Slack, Outlook Contacts, and Webex SMS. It does not offer direct integrations with major clinical EHR systems like Epic, Cerner, or Athenahealth. OhMD integrates with 85+ EHR platforms and provides one-click documentation push to patient charts.
Which platform is better for small practices?
For small practices, Falkon SMS is typically the stronger fit due to its per-user pricing, free trial, HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance, and no setup fees. OhMD's starting price of $250 per month is a higher barrier for solo practitioners and small clinics, though its free basic tier does offer limited two-way texting without charge.
Can I text-enable my existing office number with both platforms?
Yes. Both OhMD and Falkon SMS allow you to text-enable your existing office phone number so patients can reach you on the same number they already call. Falkon SMS also supports toll-free numbers, VoIP numbers, and Microsoft Teams numbers.
Does OhMD have an AI voice assistant?
Yes. OhMD includes an AI voice agent that answers incoming patient calls, handles routine requests, and converts calls to text conversations. This feature is a key differentiator for practices looking to reduce front desk call volume. Falkon SMS does not currently offer an AI voice agent.
Is there a free trial for Falkon SMS?
Yes. Falkon SMS offers a free trial with no credit card required. OhMD offers a free basic tier with limited two-way texting. For full features including EHR integrations on OhMD, a paid plan starting at $250 per month is required.
Final Verdict
OhMD and Falkon SMS are both credible, HIPAA compliant platforms for secure healthcare communication, and both will serve practices better than using standard SMS. The right choice depends almost entirely on what your practice needs most.
If deep EHR integration and AI-powered call handling are your top priorities, OhMD delivers in a way that few platforms match. Its 85+ EHR connections and AI voice agent are genuinely powerful for practices where documentation and call volume reduction are the primary pain points.
If pricing, dual compliance certification, Microsoft Teams integration, and secure file sharing are what you need, Falkon SMS is the stronger choice. Its HIPAA and SOC 2 dual compliance provides a deeper security posture, its per-user pricing is dramatically more accessible for small and mid-sized practices, and its secure file sharing with facial recognition adds a meaningful layer of PHI protection that OhMD does not offer.
For most independent practices, dental offices, clinics, and home health agencies, Falkon SMS offers the better combination of compliance depth, practical features, and value. Practices that are deeply integrated with major EHR platforms and need that integration to drive their patient communication workflow will find OhMD to be the more capable fit.
The best first step is to verify that the platform you choose provides a signed BAA, then test it with your actual workflows during a free trial before committing.
