What is fax forwarding?

Fax forwarding sends each incoming fax on to another place, such as an email inbox. A practice that gets its incoming faxes in an email inbox is using fax forwarding.

How does fax forwarding work?

Fax forwarding sends a copy of each fax that arrives at the practice's number to a chosen destination. The practice sets the destination once, and each new fax goes there without anyone checking a machine.

The fax number stays where it is, so senders keep using the number they already have. The forwarded copy travels on, and the fax may also stay in the service's own inbox.

Fax Pigeon plans include your own number and a shared inbox with roles and assignment. Staff can assign each incoming fax to a named person in that inbox.

Does fax forwarding matter for HIPAA?

Fax forwarding matters for HIPAA because each forwarded copy moves protected health information to a new place. The destination then needs the same safeguards as the practice's other patient records.

An email account that receives patient faxes holds protected health information, so the practice needs a business associate agreement with that email provider.

For the email setup, see how to handle HIPAA faxes in Gmail or Outlook.

Which faxes should a practice forward?

A practice should forward a fax only when someone on staff must act on it that day, such as a referral, a records request or an insurance decision. Each forwarded copy adds one more place where patient information sits, so a short list of destinations keeps that risk small.

Is fax forwarding the same as call forwarding?

Fax forwarding and call forwarding are separate services. Fax forwarding moves documents to a chosen destination, while call forwarding moves voice calls from one number to another.

These are the terms that buyers mix up with fax forwarding:

• Fax to email: a form of fax forwarding in which each incoming fax arrives as an email attachment.
• Call forwarding: sends phone calls from one number to another, and it moves calls only.
• Shared fax inbox: a place where a team sees each incoming fax and assigns it to a person. Fax Pigeon includes one on every plan.

To set up that shared place, see how to set up a shared fax inbox for a small office.

* Fax Pigeon prices and plan terms as of October 15, 2026.