While email compression itself is not directly a HIPAA compliance measure, when used as an additional practice within an organization that prioritizes compliance practices, it can be HIPAA compliant.
A Science Progress study defines email compression as “... a technique to reduce the size of data and address issues related to storage and transfer.”
Email compression is designed to reduce the size of email messages and attachments, enabling faster transmission and more efficient storage. Initially conceptualized in the early days of the internet, email compression uses algorithms that minimize the data size of emails without losing the content.
The purpose of email compression extends beyond mere speed enhancement; it also helps conserve bandwidth. This helps users with limited internet resources or those handling large volumes of emails. By reducing file sizes, it alleviates the burden on email servers, leading to cost savings and improved system performance.
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Email file compression can comply with HIPAA if it's set up correctly. HIPAA requires that any patient information sent over the internet must be well protected against unauthorized access.
Organizations often use lossless compression along with encryption when they send emails containing patient information. Lossless compression makes files smaller without losing any data, which speeds up transmission without sacrificing quality. Encryption can be achieved easily in healthcare organizations by making use of HIPAA compliant email services with built in protection, like Paubox.
However, just compressing and encrypting the email is not enough to meet HIPAA standards. Healthcare organizations also need to implement strict controls to make sure only authorized people can access patient information. This includes using secure methods to verify identities, limiting access to the data to only those who need it, and monitoring how the data is handled.
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It is law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients' medical records and other health information provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers.
The recommended form of encryption for HIPAA compliant email is TLS 1.2 or higher.
Lossy compression can affect the quality of files by permanently removing some data, while lossless compression does not affect file quality as it allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed.