Why Healthcare and Legal Firms Still Rely on Fax in 2025: Embracing Secure Online Faxing and IT Modernization

In an age where digital transformation has swept across nearly every industry, it might be surprising to discover that faxing remains indispensable in healthcare and legal fields. Yet in 2025, more than 70% of U.S. healthcare providers and a substantial segment of legal professionals continue to depend on fax—albeit in far more modern ways. This enduring reliance is not about preserving antiquated technologies, but rather about leveraging secure online faxing, workflow integration, and the complex realities of compliance and regulation.

The Enduring Role of Fax in Regulated Industries

Why fax persists despite rapid IT modernization

Healthcare and legal sectors face some of the strictest privacy and compliance standards in the world, governed by frameworks like HIPAA in the U.S., PHIPA in Canada, and similar mandates globally. These regulations demand thorough, auditable communication channels. Fax remains relevant due to several compelling factors:

Auditability and Legal Admissibility

Perceived Reliability and Security

Workflow Integration

Recent data underscores this reality: In Ontario, Canada, more than 90% of physicians regularly use fax for patient care. Although initiatives exist to phase out physical fax machines within five years, digital transformation proceeds at a measured pace. Technology transitions, especially in regulated environments, are anything but overnight.

The Move Toward Secure Online Faxing

Replacing legacy hardware with cloud-based fax solutions

Faxing today means something entirely different than in the past. Secure online faxing—or cloud faxing—presents a host of benefits modern organizations can no longer ignore:

• Legacy-Free Operations

• High-Level Encryption

• Comprehensive Audit Trails

• Regulatory Alignment

• Support for Remote and Hybrid Workforces

Popular providers—such as RightFax, etherFAX, eFax, Documo, and HIPAA Vault—offer advanced integrations with Microsoft platforms, AI-driven tagging, and direct API access for automated EHR or case management workflows. These features help organizations maximize efficiency while reducing the risk of compliance lapses.

IT Challenges and Considerations in Healthcare and Legal Fax Modernization

Preparing for seamless and secure digital transformation

Transitioning fax-dependent organizations to modern, cloud-based faxing poses several hurdles:

• Change Management

• Interoperability Challenges

• Compliance as a Baseline

Best Practices for Implementing Modern Fax Solutions

To drive successful adoption in regulated environments, organizations should:

1. Map Current Workflows

2. Implement Proven, Scalable Platforms

3. Focus on User Experience

4. Provide Robust Training and Support

5. Monitor and Optimize

The Future of Fax in Healthcare and Legal Environments

Even as secure email, e-signature, and encrypted cloud file transfers gain traction, fax—in its reinvented, cloud-enabled form—remains a linchpin of critical information exchange. Regulatory requirements, fragmented technology landscapes, and slow modernization by software vendors ensure online faxing isn’t disappearing any time soon.

The future, however, is bright: artificial intelligence and automation are making digital faxing more efficient, with features like document tagging, OCR, and intelligent workflow routing. The industry is moving toward systems that are not only secure but also smarter and more user-friendly, paving the way for eventual transformation while protecting essential operations today.

Conclusion

The enduring reliance on fax in 2025 highlights a unique tension faced by healthcare and legal providers: balancing the highest standards of compliance and patient/client privacy while maximizing operational efficiency. For regulated industries, secure online faxing is no longer a stopgap—it’s an essential foundation for everyday communications. With advancements in IT modernization and secure integration, organizations are empowered to meet the demands of today while preparing for the innovations of tomorrow.