The Doctor image by Luke Fildes via wikipedia
Written by Eric Gockel
While searching online for a local optometrist today, I ran across one with an online Patient Info Form. Handy, I thought, even though I didn’t need to fill it out.
However, they were asking for personal medical information, i.e., “list medical problems,” HIV, etc., and the page the form was on wasn’t even secured with HTTPS.
When transmitting personal information online, it’s always good practice to do so securely, even more so for medical websites, lest they run afoul of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
HIPAA Compliance Measures
- Data collected is on a HIPAA-compliant hosting server.
- If the data collected is emailed to the physician, the email service must also be HIPAA compliant.
- Your website developer and medical practice should have a Business Associate Agreement if HIPAA is involved.
Ensuring the secure transmission of personal medical information is paramount, particularly for medical websites operating under HIPAA regulations. Implementing measures such as using HTTPS, hosting data on HIPAA-compliant servers, utilizing HIPAA-compliant email services, and establishing Business Associate Agreements help to protect patient privacy and maintain compliance with HIPAA. By prioritizing data security, healthcare providers can foster trust and confidence among patients in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape.
Read more about adding HTTPS to your website.