Can I use Google Calendar and be HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA compliance

Nov 14th 2017

We often get asked by customers and prospects about Google Calendar 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.

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 Calendar offers HIPAA compliance or not.

SEE ALSO: How to Encrypt Gmail

About Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a time-management and scheduling calendar service developed by Google. It was first released in 2006.

Google Calendar and the Business Associate Agreement

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)…”

Does Google Calendar Offer HIPAA Compliant Service?

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 Calendar, we conclude that Google Calendar is a HIPAA compliant service.

It’s important to note however, you must sign a BAA with Google to be HIPAA compliant.

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G Suite email isn’t HIPAA compliant out of the box.
Download the Quick Guide to HIPAA Compliant Email for free.

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Conclusion: Google Calendar is HIPAA Compliant. Make sure you sign a BAA with Google.

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