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iPlum Alternative for Healthcare: Why Telzio is the Better HIPAA Compliant Phone Service

Compare HIPAA compliant phone systems iPlum and Telzio, and discover an iPlum alternative that works better for your practice.

Diana Chu

In considering a cost-effective and HIPAA-compliant phone solution there's iPlum, and there's Telzio.

How do they compare?

The iPlum phone app offers virtual numbers, calling, and texting, making it one option for healthcare professionals who want to keep personal and patient communications separate. Its low-cost plans are attractive, with iPlum pricing starting just a few dollars per month, and many providers turn to iPlum reviews to see if it is reliable enough for daily patient communication.

While iPlum can work for solo practitioners or light usage, healthcare organizations with multiple staff, high call volumes, and strict HIPAA requirements often find it limiting.

If your practice needs a HIPAA-compliant phone system that scales, protects patient data, and streamlines call handling, Telzio is a more secure and cost-effective alternative.


iPlum vs. Telzio for Healthcare - Feature Comparison

Feature / Service iPlum Phone App Telzio (HIPAA-Compliant)
HIPAA-Compliant Calls Partial Full BAA & Encryption
Business Voice & SMS Yes Yes
Unlimited Users No (per-user fees) Yes (pay per usage)
Advanced Call Routing No Yes
Visual IVR Builder No Yes
Secure Voicemail Limited Yes
On-Call Escalation No Yes
Global Numbers Limited Yes

Why Telzio Is the Better HIPAA-Compliant Alternative

Telzio is designed to meet the needs of modern healthcare providers, from small practices to multi-location organizations.

1. Built-In HIPAA Compliance

Telzio provides BAAs and encrypts all calls, texts, voicemail, and faxes to protect patient data in compliance with HIPAA.

2. Predictable, Usage-Based Pricing

Instead of per-user fees like iPlum pricing, Telzio offers unlimited users, and pay-as-you-go charges only for the minutes and messages you use. This is ideal for clinics with many staff members or rotating on-call providers.

3. Advanced Call Flows for Patient Care

With Telzio’s visual call flow editor, you can:

  • Direct calls to the right department instantly
  • Escalate urgent calls to on-call doctors
  • Set up secure after-hours voicemail with HIPAA disclosures
  • Create customized routing for different clinic locations

4. Secure Voicemail and Messaging

All patient messages and voicemails are encrypted and stored securely, accessible only to authorized staff.

5. Reliability You Can Trust

Telzio’s enterprise-grade infrastructure ensures high uptime, HD voice quality, and consistent access, which is crucial for patient safety and timely care.


See how mental healthcare provider Espree Health uses Telzio to ensure every client call gets answered promptly, and the real life impact when a client is in need and no one is available to answer the phone.


The iPlum Phone in a Healthcare Setting

The iPlum phone app enables users to add a U.S. or Canadian number to a device and make calls over Wi-Fi or data. In healthcare, it is sometimes used for:

  • Providing a dedicated patient contact line without extra hardware
  • Enabling remote consultations and telehealth check-ins
  • Reducing exposure of personal numbers for providers

How iPlum Pricing Works for Clinics

iPlum’s pricing starts low, but each user or additional feature adds to the cost. For small offices, the difference may be minimal, but for clinics with several doctors, nurses, and admin staff, per-user charges can become a significant expense, especially when you need secure voicemail, call routing, and multiple numbers.

What iPlum Reviews Reveal

Looking at iPlum reviews from healthcare professionals, some appreciate the ease of setup and affordability. However, many report challenges with call quality, limited routing options, and uncertainty about how well the service supports HIPAA compliance for texting, voicemail, and call recordings.


Limitations of iPlum for HIPAA-Covered Entities

While the iPlum phone can be useful for basic communication, it falls short for organizations that must meet strict patient privacy requirements:

  1. Partial HIPAA Support – Missing key elements like comprehensive audit logs, fully encrypted voicemail storage, and guaranteed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).
  2. Basic Call Routing – Lacks multi-level IVRs, departmental routing, and after-hours triage tools.
  3. Per-User Costs – Scales poorly for larger healthcare teams.
  4. Not Designed for High Call Volumes – Limited infrastructure for busy clinics or hospital departments.

The Best iPlum Alternative for Your Practice

If you only need a simple second line, the iPlum phone app can be a quick and affordable choice. But for HIPAA-covered entities that handle sensitive patient information daily, Telzio provides the compliance, flexibility, and scalability iPlum cannot match.

With Telzio, you get:

  • A signed BAA for HIPAA compliance
  • Unlimited users without per-seat pricing
  • Advanced routing to improve patient call handling
  • Secure, encrypted storage for all communications
  • Reliable access from the webphone and mobile app

Bottom line: When you weigh iPlum pricing, patient privacy requirements, and the realities of busy healthcare operations, Telzio emerges as the safer, smarter choice for long-term use.

Reach out to schedule a demo today.


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