Gmail can be HIPAA compliant for its G Suite products — but if you want to make a Gmail account HIPAA compliant, it must be a part of G Suite and cannot be a free, personal account.
Just so you know
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The free version of Gmail that most people use is not HIPAA compliant on its own, but Google’s G Suite can be HIPAA compliant. G Suite includes Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive, just like the free version, but it also includes security features that, once properly configured, can make one's use of G Suite HIPAA compliant.
Gmail is the most widely used email service around, with 1.5 billion users worldwide, an increase of 500 million users just since 2016. The ubiquity and familiarity of Gmail make it an appealing option for healthcare companies.
HIPAA sets strict standards for protecting patient confidentiality and health information. Sending HIPAA-compliant emails requires training staff to use technological safeguards. Your email provider may follow HIPAA regulations, but that doesn’t automatically make your emails secure. Every employee must understand how HIPAA applies to their email. Training in everything from encrypting sensitive emails to ensuring they’re sent to authorized recipients can be beneficial.
Healthcare workers are occasionally targeted by phishing and other email attacks. Recent breaches have compromised the sensitive personal data, such as Social Security numbers and financial account information, as well as the PHI of hundreds of many patients. Continuous training improves the chances that your employees will not fall prey to phishing scams.
Your business needs a straightforward, step-by-step process to help staff comply with both applicable laws, which can include HIPAA and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, among others. Now that we’ve considered the importance of strong training and policies, it’s time to take a look at the technical side of things.
If you’re a covered entity, or a business associate of a covered entity, you should have a signed business associate agreement (BAA) with every third party that could access the PHI in your custody. Using an email provider is no different. A BAA ensures that your business associate understands how they can use PHI and what security measures are required.
The fundamental risk of transmitting PHI via email is that unauthorized people could gain access to that data. HIPAA-compliant email services should have strong security features or allow third-party plugins that provide the needed security.
Access must be restricted to only those who need the information. Never print emails that contain PHI. These emails should be visible only to the sender and the recipient. Using end-to-end encryption and access controls ensures that ePHI doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Gmail is the most widely used email service around, with 1.5 billion users worldwide, an increase of 500 million users just since 2016. The ubiquity and familiarity of Gmail make it an appealing option for healthcare companies.
HIPAA sets strict standards for protecting patient confidentiality and health information. Sending HIPAA-compliant emails requires training staff to use technological safeguards. Your email provider may follow HIPAA regulations, but that doesn’t automatically make your emails secure. Every employee must understand how HIPAA applies to their email. Training in everything from encrypting sensitive emails to ensuring they’re sent to authorized recipients can be beneficial.
Healthcare workers are occasionally targeted by phishing and other email attacks. Recent breaches have compromised the sensitive personal data, such as Social Security numbers and financial account information, as well as the PHI of hundreds of many patients. Continuous training improves the chances that your employees will not fall prey to phishing scams.
Your business needs a straightforward, step-by-step process to help staff comply with both applicable laws, which can include HIPAA and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, among others. Now that we’ve considered the importance of strong training and policies, it’s time to take a look at the technical side of things.
If you’re a covered entity, or a business associate of a covered entity, you should have a signed business associate agreement (BAA) with every third party that could access the PHI in your custody. Using an email provider is no different. A BAA ensures that your business associate understands how they can use PHI and what security measures are required.
The fundamental risk of transmitting PHI via email is that unauthorized people could gain access to that data. HIPAA-compliant email services should have strong security features or allow third-party plugins that provide the needed security.
Access must be restricted to only those who need the information. Never print emails that contain PHI. These emails should be visible only to the sender and the recipient. Using end-to-end encryption and access controls ensures that ePHI doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
