What is a HIPAA Compliant Marketing Platform?

Common question we get every day from physicians and dentists is what exactly is a HIPAA compliant marketing platform? And why should I use such a service?

A HIPAA compliant marketing platform is a service that enables healthcare practices to run campaigns while protecting patient data through measures like end-to-end encryption, secure data handling, and signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). Examples include Paubox Marketing, which encrypts all emails, and platforms like PatientGain and SocialClimb, which offer all-in-one HIPAA-compliant solutions. Other tools for specific functions include Formsort for secure forms, Freshpaint for analytics, and Segment for data management.  However PatientGain is unique that it replace 5 to 8 vendors with a single platform, that covers website, apps, analytics, secure forms, appointment apps, SMS/texting apps, BAA, HIPAA compliance and awesome customer service from expert humans.

Key features and requirements

Employee training: Staff must be properly trained on how to use the platform and handle PHI according to HIPAA rules. 

Business Associate Agreement (BAA): A compliant platform will sign a BAA, a legal contract that outlines the vendor’s responsibility to protect your patient data.

Data encryption: All sensitive information must be encrypted when it is sent and stored to prevent unauthorized access.

Access controls: The platform should limit access to PHI to only authorized users, preventing unauthorized viewing or editing.

Audit trails: The system must maintain a log of all actions, such as who accessed or modified data, for security and accountability.

Secure forms and landing pages: Any forms used to collect patient or prospective patient information must be HIPAA compliant and securely transmit the data.

Consent and authorization: Patients must give written consent before their PHI can be used in marketing communications, and the platform should help manage this process.

Minimal necessary information: The platform helps ensure that only the minimum amount of PHI necessary is shared for each marketing purpose.