Promoting vaccines through HIPAA compliant email is an excellent way to improve patient outreach while ensuring that privacy regulations are upheld.
Why HIPAA compliance matters in vaccine promotion
Vaccines are a public health concern, and promoting them through email can increase awareness and vaccination rates. However, when sending any communication that contains a patient’s health information, such as vaccination status or medical history, HIPAA compliance is necessary.
Failure to comply with HIPAA can result in penalties, including fines and reputational damage. Common email providers not equipped to meet HIPAA standards may inadvertently expose PHI, putting your organization at risk.
To ensure compliance, you must take steps to secure your communications, protect patient privacy, and adhere to HIPAA guidelines.
Ensuring compliance
Choose a HIPAA compliant email provider
Not all email platforms are built with the security necessary to protect sensitive health data, so it's vital to choose one that offers encryption, secure login features, and a business associate agreement (BAA).
HIPAA compliant email services, like Paubox, encrypt email content to ensure that PHI remains protected, even if the email is intercepted.
Obtain consent before sending emails
To comply with HIPAA, you must ensure that patients have provided proper consent before sending them any email containing healthcare-related information. This is particularly important when sending personalized vaccine reminders or educational content.
Opt-in consent should be collected via forms on your website or during in-person visits. Ensure that patients are informed about the types of communications they will receive and how their data will be used.
Learn more: How to obtain patient consent for email communication
Protecting data during transmission
According to 45 CFR § 164.312(a)(2)(iv) and 45 CFR § 164.312(e)(2)(ii) of HIPAA’s Security Rule encryption as an addressable specification. However, it is best practice to implement encryption when transmitting PHI. Regular email services don’t provide adequate security, so you must opt for an email service that encrypts messages automatically.
For example, Paubox’s HIPAA compliant email platform ensures that messages are encrypted both in transit and at rest, making it nearly impossible for unauthorized parties to access the content of your emails.
Monitoring and reporting
Regularly audit your email practices to ensure they meet HIPAA’s security standards. This includes checking the encryption levels, reviewing consent forms, and ensuring all third-party vendors are compliant.
Additionally, track your email campaign performance in a way that doesn’t compromise patient privacy. You can analyze open rates and click-through rates without needing to track PHI.
Avoiding risky email practices
It’s easy to inadvertently compromise security if you don’t follow proper email practices. Here are a few things to avoid when promoting vaccines through email:
- No attachments with PHI: Avoid sending attachments that contain sensitive data, such as vaccination records or patient IDs. If you need to share this information, ensure it’s done through secure methods like Paubox.
- No sharing of patient data without consent: Never share a patient’s PHI with other parties, such as a marketing agency or email list manager, without ensuring the third-party has signed a BAA and followed HIPAA guidelines. Patient consent must also be obtained.
- Use two-factor authentication (2FA): Ensure that email accounts and any other systems handling PHI are protected with strong security measures, like 2FA.
FAQs
What is HIPAA compliant email?
HIPAA compliant email ensures the security and privacy of PHI by implementing encryption, secure access, and adherence to the HIPAA Security Rule. It also involves a BAA with email service providers.
Do vaccine-related emails always involve PHI?
General vaccine information doesn’t include PHI and doesn’t require HIPAA compliance. However, personalized reminders or details that reference a patient’s health status are considered PHI.
What happens if my email system is breached?
If a breach involves PHI, you must report it according to HIPAA’s Breach Notification Rule.
Tshedimoso Makhene
