Is Gmail HIPAA Compliant?
Short answer:No — Gmail is NOT HIPAA compliant by default.However, Gmail can be configured to support HIPAA compliance if (and only if) very specific technical, administrative, and contractual requirements are met. This distinction is where many healthcare organizations get into trouble. Simply using Gmail — even with Google’s strong security — does not make your... Continue reading
Common HIPAA Compliance Mistakes Healthcare Practices Still Make
Common HIPAA compliance mistakes are still the leading cause of OCR investigations, breach notifications, and costly penalties across the healthcare industry. What surprises most organizations is that these violations rarely come from sophisticated cyberattacks — they come from everyday operational mistakes involving email, websites, staff workflows, and vendors. → Not sure where your biggest HIPAA... Continue reading
Patient Intake Form: How to Create a HIPAA-Compliant Version
A patient intake form is one of the first systems that collects protected health information (PHI).Yes — patient intake forms are regulated under HIPAA the moment they collect identifiable health data. Many healthcare organizations still rely on emailed PDFs or general-purpose form builders. These tools feel efficient, but they often lack the safeguards required by... Continue reading
Is Dropbox HIPAA Compliant? What Healthcare Organizations Need to Know
No — Dropbox is not HIPAA compliant by default. Dropbox can only be used for HIPAA-regulated data if the organization is on an eligible plan, has a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA), and correctly configures security controls. Even then, HIPAA compliance responsibility remains with the healthcare organization, not Dropbox. This answer aligns with HHS guidance,... Continue reading
