Abby Grifno
You'll want seamless encryption when choosing the right HIPAA compliant email software. With many options, picking the right email software can be overwhelming. There's a lot at stake - from preventing costly legal fines to protecting patient data.
That's why we're breaking down the benefits and drawbacks of using Paubox or LuxSci for HIPAA email security.
Table of contents:
- Overview: Paubox & LuxSci
- Email security
- HIPAA compliance
- Unique features
- Reviews
- Pricing
- In the news
- The big picture
Overview: Paubox & LuxSci
Paubox and LuxSci offer services to ensure secure communication between providers and patients.
Paubox, founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, provides exceptional email protection and compliance. The company focuses on healthcare organizations and is used by over 5000 organizations that handle sensitive health information.
LuxSci, founded in 1999 by Erik Kangas and based in Boston, Massachusetts, provides infrastructure to help keep email secure. The company offers email encryption, forms, and hosting. The company also partners with Oracle Cloud, a public cloud.
Email security
Paubox and LuxSci offer different products and services, but both can be used for email security.
Paubox
The service: Paubox offers three services related to email: The Paubox Email Suite, Paubox Marketing, and Paubox Email API. Every service from Paubox helps healthcare companies maintain HIPAA compliance with ease. While all of Paubox's services support HIPAA compliant communication, this article will focus on Paubox's flagship product, the email suite.
For Paubox, the focus is a seamless system that allows healthcare providers to send emails as normal while remaining HIPAA compliant. Companies can integrate Paubox Email Suite with their existing email clients like Google and Microsoft 365. Once integrated, every email is automatically encrypted, preventing any room for user error. Paubox runs in the background and encrypts all outbound emails by default, allowing users to focus on healthcare rather than multi-step encryption and complex security systems. Simplicity and reliability make Paubox highly appreciated by users and recipients.
Recipient experience: The process is easy for email recipients like patients and clients. Unlike systems that require portals and multi-step authentication, like LuxSci, recipients can open the email the same way they would any other. No browser plugins, multi-factor authentication, passwords, or other additional steps are needed. Simply open the email and read it in the inbox. At the bottom of every email is a note reminding recipients that the email is securely encrypted.
Paubox Email Suite Plus and Premium add protection against ransomware, phishing, and spoofing attacks. Paubox can also be used to filter out spam and can aid in data loss prevention.
LuxSci
The products: Like Paubox, LuxSci's encrypted email allows for sending, receiving, storing, filtering, and archiving. It can be utilized with both Google and Microsoft email suites.
LuxSci allows clients to have their own server or cluster rather than using a shared cloud. Transport encryption (TLS) is standard amongst most encryption services, including Paubox. Still, LuxSci also offers other encryption services for rare cases in which it is needed.
Recipient experience: For recipients, opening emails depends on the settings the organization has set up. Options for companies include utilizing two-factor authentication, password expiration, time-based access controls, and more. Regardless of the additional security measures, recipients will be expected to use a web-based portal to access information, which adds a layer of complexity.
The consensus
Both LuxSci and Paubox offer quality solutions for HIPAA compliant emails. For those looking for reliability and security without sacrificing ease of use, we recommend Paubox. LuxSci, while including diverse security options, is ultimately a more complex system for recipients, which can add friction to communication.
HIPAA compliance
HIPAA compliance should be a priority for covered entities and business associates. When organizations fail to be HIPAA compliant, even inadvertently, they're vulnerable to cyberattacks and fines from the Office of Civil Rights.
Malicious actors heavily target healthcare organizations because of the critical services offered and the valuable data stored. Attacks can lead to downed operations that directly impact patients, as well as legal and financial implications that can harm an organization's operating status for years following an attack.
Both Paubox and LuxSci are HIPAA compliant.
Paubox
The bread and butter of Paubox's work is HIPAA compliant communication. Paubox utilizes Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its cloud platform, which meets requirements for the GDPR, including the Data Processing Addendum and adherence and compliance with the CISPE Conduct of Conduct. Paubox can also work with companies to check eligibility for other unique or specific regulations.
Paubox is also HITRUST Certified.
While Paubox has never suffered a breach, it does have a contingency plan to protect data in the case of an emergency, which would allow any impacted organization to retrieve exact copies of electronic PHI.
With such a niche focus, organizations can feel confident that their support team is highly knowledgeable on HIPAA and compliance. Not only does Paubox stay current on HIPAA-related news, but Paubox also pays special attention to healthcare organizations in general. Paubox carefully follows phishing, ransomware, and hacking trends in healthcare.
Lastly, Paubox encrypts all information, regardless of whether it includes PHI or not. A simple system that treats all information as needing protection can prevent accidental disclosure or errors.
Paubox will sign a BAA. Full security information is available online.
LuxSci
LuxSci has offered HIPAA compliant services since 2008. Since then, they have achieved HITRUST CSF certification. They outline their features online, including at-rest encryption, software and hardware firewalls, intrusion detection, and more.
LuxSci will sign a BAA. Protection under the BAA is void if the information sent is not considered Protected Health Information (PHI).
While LuxSci and Paubox both offer HIPAA compliance, Paubox provides an unmatched level of detail, security, and expertise.
Unique features
Paubox
Paubox's additional services are all designed to be used in tandem to create a secure email presence. Additional services include:
- Paubox Marketing is HIPAA compliant email marketing and allows email marketing and email automation to be personalized with PHI. After a comprehensive review of all compliant email marketing services, Paubox is the easiest and safest for recipients. The system is frictionless, allowing users to open personalized marketing emails like any other email.
- Paubox Email API helps software developers get to market quicker and provides RESTful API and SMTP options. Paubox Email API offers multiple API libraries and clear documentation.
- Paubox Forms are free with any paid Paubox account and allow companies to seamlessly collect data, receive files, and more while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
- Paubox Texting is a HIPAA compliant texting API that doesn't require recipients to download third-party applications or use passcode-protected portals. Paubox's secure text messaging is 100% HIPAA compliant and can be personalized with protected health information (PHI).
LuxSci
LuxSci offers several unique features, including:
- SecureLine Encryption technology, an additional encryption technology uniquely designed for marketing emails, allows administrators to select the right level of encryption. This creates more flexibility while ensuring compliance. Encryption options include TLS, PGP, S/MIME, or Web Portal Pickup.
- Dedicated servers allow users to have their own server, cluster, or unique custom deployment instead of using a shared cloud. The company utilizes micro-segmentation and firewalls to isolate each customer's segmentation.
While both companies offer a variety of additional features, every feature from Paubox improves provider-patient interactions that directly impact patient outcomes and the success of every healthcare organization.
Reviews
Paubox
Paubox has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 and over 350 posted reviews on G2. As one of the highest-rated HIPAA compliant email services, many users share that Paubox is straightforward to learn and seamlessly integrated into a company's standard operating procedures.
Time again, users have shared that Paubox provides an extremely high level of customer support regardless of the problem or size of the company. Users also share that Paubox is highly effective while maintaining affordability. Lastly, clients share that the solution allows recipients to receive emails and attachments without unnecessary complications or friction.
LuxSci
LuxSci has earned an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars from 75 reviews on the software rating website G2. However, there are also additional entries for other LuxSci products. Users generally report positive interactions with customer service. Others have shared the platform can be overwhelming at first. Some have said the email features are too simple and need to allow for additional personalization.
Pricing
Both Paubox and LuxSci have unique pricing structures that are important to understand before diving in.
Paubox
With Paubox, you don't have to compromise price for efficacy. You'll find you can have a highly effective and secure solution without making huge financial sacrifices.
Paubox provides all pricing information online.
Paubox Email Suite has three plans:
- Standard: Starting at $29/month and including encryption, integration, secure calendar invite, forms, and more.
- Plus: Starting at $59/month, including everything in Standard plus additional inbound security, like malware and ransomware protection.
- Premium: Starting at $69/month, including everything in Plus, data loss prevention, and voicemail transcription.
LuxSci
LuxSci does not provide pricing information online. Interested companies are required to contact LuxSci's sales team.
In the news
Paubox
Paubox has only ever been in the news for good reasons, like providing scholarships for Native Hawaiians through the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship.
Paubox has never experienced a breach and remains secure for each of the 99 million emails Paubox encrypts monthly.
LuxSci
LuxSci has similarly never been the source of a breach. Most recently, the company made news in 2023 for receiving a new investment from Main Capital.
The big picture
Paubox and LuxSci offer powerful email security that protects healthcare companies against breaches and attacks.
While both companies provide HIPAA compliance with unique features and generally earn positive reviews, Paubox has the edge.
Paubox balances security and usability with a streamlined email process; sending and receiving emails has never been easier, safer, or more affordable. You'll never experience a tradeoff with integration, usability, or price.
Related: Paubox vs Virtru: HIPAA compliant email software review
