Pressure seal mailers have become the method of choice for organizations that need to send communications securely through the US postal system. The primary reasons for this are related to data security; as an invention, the pressure seal mailer is a remarkably simple yet effective solution. Adding to its value are great features like versatility and affordability, making this a great option even for communications that don’t involve content governed by HIPAA and other privacy requirements.
Here’s what your team needs to know about pressure seal mailing and how it can enhance the way you get your most important messages to your clients, customers, or members with the help of Spectra’s print and distribution service.
Powerful Data Security
The number one reason to use pressure seal mailers is that they provide a very high level of security. The distinctive features of the system keep data more secure while the documents are being printed, and while each piece is in transit through the mail, the information inside is kept invisible to the public.
Opaque Exterior
One of the drawbacks of using a standard envelope for secure communications is that it is not completely opaque. If an envelope gets lost in the mail or is taken from a mailbox by an unauthorized person, it is usually possible to get at least an idea of what is inside without opening it.
A pressure seal mailer, on the other hand, is opaque. Anyone who gets their hands on a pressure seal mailer can see the name and address on the exterior, but there is no way to see what’s inside without opening it.
Enhanced Sealing
Standard envelopes have used the same adhesive sealing method for decades, and during that time, criminals have developed ways to defeat that method and gain access to the contents inside. In the worst case scenario, criminals can open envelopes, read the contents, and reseal them, leaving the addressee unaware that their personal information has been obtained.
A pressure seal mailer uses an adhesive method that is more difficult to defeat, as well as an added layer of security. The mailer includes tabs on three sides that must be torn in order to open the document. Once those tabs are torn off, there is no way to restore them. Thus any individual who receives a pressure seal mailer can tell at once whether or not it has been opened already or tampered with.
Printing Accuracy
The point at which mistakes most often occur in mailing sensitive documents to individuals is the placing of those documents inside an envelope. A document can be placed in the wrong envelope, resulting in sensitive personal information being sent to the wrong addressee. While most people would immediately discard a document once they recognize it was mistakenly sent to them, such a situation would constitute a violation of the intended recipient’s rights under HIPAA.
Sometimes two documents are accidentally inserted into a single envelope, creating not only an issue for a single addressee, but potentially a cascading effect as well, as subsequent documents are matched with incorrect envelopes. Careful quality assurance processes can catch these mistakes before they result in documents being mailed, but they do create a potential risk of exposure of PII and PHI.
The Spectra team prefers using pressure seal mailers for communications because the entire piece is a single document. The recipient’s information is printed on the inside, and their address is printed on the outside. This single document approach greatly reduces the risk of matching a notification with the wrong address.
HIPAA Compliance
As a HIPAA compliant facility, Spectra’s print and distribution division follows strict protocols to ensure that the patient health information (PHI) that we handle for clients stays private. The journey between our facility and the recipient has many potential points of vulnerability at which PHI could be accidentally exposed to public view or deliberately obtained by criminal actors. To protect sensitive information in the documents we mail as thoroughly as possible, we use advanced practices such as pressure seal mailers. This is certainly not the only defense we use against theft of data, but it is a critical one.
Affordability Advantages
While pressure seal mailing helps organizations keep communications more secure, it has another important advantage as well: it’s more affordable than other mailing methods. The simple fact that the mailer is comprised of one document instead of a document, an envelope, and a potential cover letter means that paper and printing costs are reduced. The efficiency of printing the content and the address information on the same sheet of paper also creates savings.
While data security is the primary factor in choosing to use a pressure seal mailer, organizations are always very happy to find that their projects cost less when using this method. Through commingling and other bulk mailing discounts that Spectra enjoys due to its high volume, our team lowers costs even further, allowing our clients to communicate with their customers, patients, or members both securely and affordably.
Additional Benefits
Open rate is another factor that makes pressure seal mailing a great choice for organizations, even those that don’t require high levels of data security or HIPAA compliance. Envelopes and flyers tend to be discarded or ignored if they are not from recognized senders. Pressure seal mailers, on the other hand, demand attention from recipients. The open rate for this piece of mail is 96%, making it an ideal method for print clients that need their recipients to read, process, and respond to the information in the document.
Due to these and other advantages, pressure seal mailing has become the gold standard in secure communication through the mail. With HIPAA compliant facilities as well as SOC 2 Type II certification, Spectra is a trusted partner for organizations like hospitals that need to regularly contact patients about sensitive information, from test results to diagnoses to insurance and billing statements. Find out how this powerful service can benefit your organization today.
