HamTECH Solutions

Does your website need to be HIPAA compliant?

I recently shared an article about a major website builder announcing that they’re now offering HIPAA compliant options in a private healthcare provider group.

The response surprised many people:

“I didn’t know my website needed to be HIPAA compliant.”

That reaction is actually very common.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no.

It comes down to what your website does and what information flows through it.

Based on HHS guidance:

• If your website does not collect, transmit, or share patient information, HIPAA may not apply to the site itself
• If your website collects patient details (forms, appointment requests, symptom information, chat tools, etc.), HIPAA considerations come into play
• If tracking tools or analytics can link website activity to an identifiable patient, that matters
• If a third-party vendor helps collect or process that information, a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) may be required
• If you are a covered entity, your Notice of Privacy Practices should be posted and accessible

HIPAA doesn’t say “every healthcare website must be fully HIPAA compliant.”
It focuses on whether protected health information (PHI) is involved and how it’s handled.

For many practices, the website becomes the first place PHI enters the organization, often unintentionally.

That’s why the question isn’t:

“Is my website HIPAA compliant?”

It’s:

“What role does my website play in handling patient information?”

If you’re unsure, that uncertainty alone is usually worth a closer look.

Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or feel confused about your website and HIPAA compliance.

We’re in the final days of the year, and if you’re like many people, there’s still so much you wanted to get done.

Take a breath.

The most helpful thing you can do right now is document and check off these four items:

• Risk Assessments. Completed, documented, and saved in one place.
• Safer Guides. Completed, documented, and saved in one place.
• HIPAA Training. Assigned, completed, or at least clearly scheduled.
• Loose ends. Policies, logs, or reminders still living in your head instead of on paper.

If this list feels overwhelming or unrealistic to complete fully, document what exists and what doesn’t.

Progress that’s written down matters.

If you have to prioritize, focus on the Risk Assessment and Safer Guides first.
Those two are required if you have to meet certain MACRA/MIPS requirements.

Do your best with the time you have.

And if you feel stuck or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.