The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that any personally identifiable patient information be secured from unauthorized viewing. Protected health information (PHI) includes names, social security numbers, addresses, and more. Enterprise Guardian® offers HIPAA compliant email services to meet government regulations. Here are a few risks of using emails that are not HIPAA compliant:
1. Data Breach
Healthcare organizations that send PHI via an unsecured email are at risk of a data breach. Hackers can gain access to private data such as health records, test results, or financial information. Cybercriminals may then try to sell this information on the dark web for profit. Implementing reliable security measures with a HIPAA compliant email service helps counteract this threat.
To deter hackers, Enterprise Guardian provides security measures like end-to-end encryption and two-factor identification. End-to-end encryption is a security measure that scrambles the information while it is in transit from the sender to the recipient. Only authorized users will have the necessary encryption keys to unscramble and read the information. Two-factor identification requires users to present at least two forms of identification before they can gain access to the necessary information. The methods of identification may include entering a password along with an emailed or texted passcode. These extra security measures prevent the risk of a security breach.
2. HIPAA Violation
Failing to protect private information is a HIPAA violation, which can result in substantial fines and even jail time. Unsecured emails are at risk of tampering, phishing, and malware. Enterprise Guardian filters out 95% of suspicious emails, helping to reduce or eliminate HIPAA violations. Patients may be more willing to trust providers when they understand that their private information will be kept safe.
3. Lost Information
Sending urgent information through an unsecured email puts providers at risk of losing that data. When using a regular email network, the email service provider may store your information on an unsecured server. If you experience a cyber attack or your server is infected with malware, you may lose all of the emailed information. We offer data protection plans that will back up your data in real time when sending emailed communications. Secure data backup protects your medical practice from the risk of losing necessary information.
4. Identity Theft
If an unauthorized third party gains access to confidential patient information, they may then use that to make large purchases, obtain medical services, or perform identity cloning. If this occurs with one or more patients at your clinic, this can lead to distrust and a loss of business. Use a secured email service at your medical facility to verify that patient information is safe from identity theft. Enterprise Guardian will take the necessary steps to protect information in transit and at rest. Only authorized individuals will be able to read your emails, which helps to protect the confidentiality of their personal information.
Use HIPAA Compliant Email Services
Enterprise Guardian® provides secure email services to protect patient information from unauthorized third-party access. By taking adequate steps to protect your practice’s emails, you may prevent data breaches, identity theft, HIPAA violations, and more. Reach out to our team today to learn how to get started with your secure email.