You cannot copy content of this website, your IP is being recorded.

HIPAA Compliant Attribution of Leads

HIPAA Compliant Attribution of Leads is Included in PLATINUM Monthly Service from PatientGain

HIPAA-compliant attribution of leads refers to the process of tracking and assigning the source of potential patients (or “leads”) in a way that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This is particularly relevant in healthcare marketing and patient acquisition, where lead attribution must be done without violating patient privacy or exposing Protected Health Information (PHI).

What is Lead Attribution?

Lead attribution is the process of identifying which marketing channels or campaigns (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads, SEO, referrals) led a potential patient to take an action, like:

  • Filling out a contact form
  • Calling a clinic
  • Requesting an appointment

In healthcare, this helps providers know which marketing efforts are actually resulting in new patients.

What Makes It “HIPAA-Compliant”?

HIPAA compliance means PHI must be protected during this process. PHI includes any data that could identify a patient, such as:

  • Name
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Appointment dates
  • IP addresses (if linked to identity)
  • Web tracking data combined with health context

To stay HIPAA-compliant, lead attribution must:

  1. Avoid storing or sharing PHI with non-compliant tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or CRMs not under a BAA).
  2. Use secure systems that sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA)—this is a legal requirement. PatientGain’s service like PLATINUM includes a standard BAA.
  3. Mask or anonymize user data where possible before analysis. For the leads funnel app, healthcare practices can simply turn-on “obfuscation” feature of the PatientGain CRM Leads funnel app and this is also included in the SPOC app.
  4. Secure forms and call tracking solutions so that any collected PHI is encrypted and stored securely. PatientGain does not store call recordings of patients and clinic staff.

Examples of HIPAA-Compliant Lead Attribution

Use CaseHIPAA-Compliant?Notes
Using Google Analytics 4 without PHI✅Ensure no PHI is sent (no form autofill, no IP address + health info together).
Using a healthcare-specific CRM like NRC Health, Salesforce Health Cloud, or LeadSquared Healthcare CRM✅If a BAA is signed.
Tracking form fills via Facebook Pixel❌Facebook does not sign BAAs—PHI cannot be sent through Pixel.
Using call tracking with PatientGain’s PLATINUM Service✅PatientGain provides BAA and PatientGain does not record any patient call.

How to Ensure Compliance

  • Audit tools: Check if analytics, CRM, ad platforms, and call tracking vendors are HIPAA-compliant and will sign a BAA.
  • Minimize data: Don’t collect unnecessary PHI.
  • Consent: Clearly state how data will be used and get user consent if required.
  • Segregate marketing and PHI: Use “data silos” to prevent unauthorized exposure.
  • Use HIPAA-compliant form tools: Like PatientGain’s PLATINUM service.

Learn more

Contact PatientGain or learn more about PLATINUM service.