How do I sign a business associate agreement with Google?
Last week we wrote about Google Workspace and how it compares to Paubox for its ability to provide HIPAA compliant email.
We often get asked by customers and prospects about Google Sheets and their ability to use it in a HIPAA compliant manner. We know the HIPAA market is vast so we can empathize with just how many people need to use cloud-based storage services in this sector.
SEE ALSO: Google & HIPAA Compliance: The Ultimate Guide
In previous posts, we’ve covered the following cloud solutions and their capabilities for HIPAA compliance:
The purpose of this post is to determine if Google Sheets offers HIPAA compliance or not.
SEE ALSO: HIPAA Breaches and Cloud Providers
Google Sheets is a web-based spreadsheet offered by Google within its Google Drive service. It was first released in 2007.
We’ve previously talked about how a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a written contract between a Covered Entity and a Business Associate. It is required by law for HIPAA compliance.
We checked Google's site and found a Google Workspace Administrator Help article called HIPAA Compliance with Google Workspace. In the article, Google points out:
"Google offers a BAA covering Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive (including Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms)..."
The Business Associate Agreement is a key component to HIPAA compliance between a Covered Entity and a Business Associate. Since Google offers one that covers Google Sheets, we conclude that Google Sheets is a HIPAA compliant service. It's important to note however, you must sign a BAA with Google to be HIPAA compliant. G Suite email isn't HIPAA compliant out of the box.
Download the Quick Guide to HIPAA Compliant Email for free.
Conclusion: Google Sheets is HIPAA Compliant. Make sure you sign a BAA with Google.
See also: Is Google Drive HIPAA Compliant?
Last week we wrote about Google Workspace and how it compares to Paubox for its ability to provide HIPAA compliant email.
Google delivers results to over 5.6 billion searches every day, but the company is much more than a search engine. Google also offers Google...
HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is U.S. legislation created to improve healthcare standards. Covered entities...
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