3 min read

HIPAA compliant email for communicating with third-party providers

Farah Amod December 20, 2024

HIPAA compliant email

In healthcare, close collaboration with third-party providers—such as labs, billing services, and specialty care facilities—ensures coordinated patient care. Since sharing sensitive data is central to this process, using HIPAA compliant email is fundamental for securing electronic protected health information (ePHI) and meeting regulatory standards.

The importance of secure communication with third-party providers

Third-party providers are necessary for patient care, handling tasks like diagnostics, billing, and specialized treatments. However, working with them can increase data security risks. HIPAA’s privacy and security rules require healthcare providers and their partners to keep patient information secure. With HIPAA compliant email, healthcare organizations can protect patient data while ensuring that third-party providers get the information they need to support care.

HIPAA compliant email also helps build trust with patients by reducing the risk of data breaches. In 2021, a report from Critical Insight found that business associates were responsible for 43% of healthcare breaches, a number that’s been rising over the past few years. Using secure channels like HIPAA compliant email makes information-sharing safer, protecting sensitive patient data along the way.

Benefits of HIPAA compliant email for third-party communication

Data security and compliance: HIPAA compliant email platforms provide encryption and access control features that prevent unauthorized access to patient data. This is beneficial for third-party communications, where sensitive information such as test results, billing details, and medical histories is exchanged. Encryption ensures that only authorized personnel from the healthcare organization and the third-party provider can view the email content.
Improved efficiency and collaboration: Secure email allows healthcare providers to share information quickly, minimizing delays in patient care. For example, a primary care provider can securely send patient records to a specialist, enabling faster diagnostic assessments and treatment recommendations. HIPAA compliant email platforms, such as Paubox, make this process secure, ensuring that efficiency doesn’t come at the expense of privacy.
Enhanced accountability and documentation: Email communications create a digital record of information exchanges with third-party providers, allowing for transparency and accountability. Documentation is necessary for healthcare, particularly when coordinating complex care or billing services, as it supports compliance audits and helps resolve any potential disputes about information sharing.
Building trust with patients: When patients know that their healthcare providers are using secure, compliant methods to communicate with third parties, they feel more confident that their information is safe. HIPAA compliant email reassures patients that their data is protected, even when shared outside the primary care facility.

Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide

Best practices for using HIPAA compliant email with third-party providers

To maximize security and effectiveness when communicating with third-party providers, healthcare organizations should follow these best practices:

Use encrypted, HIPAA compliant email platforms: Not all email services meet HIPAA standards for security. Providers should use encrypted, HIPAA compliant platforms that include access controls, multi-factor authentication, and secure data storage. Services like Paubox offer these features, ensuring that patient data remains confidential even during electronic transmission.
Establish business associate agreements (BAAs): HIPAA requires healthcare organizations to establish BAAs with any third-party providers who will have access to ePHI. BAAs outline each party’s responsibilities in protecting patient data and specify the security measures each organization will use. Ensuring that these agreements are in place before sharing information helps protect patient privacy and demonstrates compliance with HIPAA standards.
Limit data sharing to minimum necessary information: To comply with HIPAA’s minimum necessary rule, healthcare providers should only share information that is directly relevant to the third-party provider’s role in patient care. For example, a lab may only need specific test results rather than the patient’s entire medical history. Limiting shared data reduces potential exposure and keeps patient information as private as possible.
Regularly review and update security policies: The healthcare industry is constantly changing, and so are security threats. Organizations should regularly review their HIPAA compliance policies, including those related to third-party communication, to ensure they remain up-to-date. Regular audits and security assessments can help identify any vulnerabilities in email communication processes, allowing for timely improvements.
Train staff on secure communication protocols: All employees involved in communicating with third-party providers should be trained on HIPAA compliance and secure email practices. Training should cover email encryption, data sharing limitations, and recognizing phishing attempts. This education ensures that everyone in the organization understands how to communicate securely and responsibly with external partners.

Examples of HIPAA compliant email in third-party communication

Pharmacy coordination: Allows healthcare providers to securely share prescription information with pharmacies, ensuring that patient medication details remain private while streamlining the fulfillment process.
Home healthcare services: Enables secure communication between healthcare providers and home health agencies, allowing the exchange of patient care plans and updates without risking data exposure.
Mental health referrals: Supports secure referrals to mental health specialists, allowing primary care physicians to share patient history and treatment notes confidentially, ensuring continuity of care.
Imaging and radiology departments: Facilitates secure sharing of imaging requests and results, so radiologists can access necessary patient details without compromising privacy, leading to faster diagnosis and treatment.
Patient follow-up care coordination: Enables hospitals and clinics to securely communicate with outpatient services and rehabilitation centers, ensuring consistent patient follow-up and treatment plans are managed securely.
Public health reporting: Allows healthcare organizations to securely share patient data with public health agencies for reporting purposes, helping in monitoring and controlling disease outbreaks while maintaining compliance.

FAQs

Can providers email PHI to each other without encryption if the network is secure?

No, even on a secure network, encryption is required for transmitting PHI to ensure it remains protected in case of interception during transit.

Are internal emails within a healthcare organization subject to HIPAA rules?

Internal emails that involve PHI are subject to HIPAA rules, and safeguards like encryption and access controls should still be in place to protect patient information.