How Secure Texting for Healthcare Improves Patient Portals

Business Solutions, Patient Engagement, Secure Text
LuxSci
October 3, 2024

Patient portals were once hailed as a game-changing tool for healthcare companies to engage patients throughout their healthcare journey. In theory, they offer a convenient platform where patients and customers can access their medical records, communicate with their providers or suppliers, book appointments, and even pay bills—safely and securely. But despite the optimism around patient portals, the reality is much more complex. Adoption rates remain stubbornly low, and many patients simply don’t like using them.

So, why is this the case? More importantly, how does the relatively mediocre adoption of patient portals impact patient engagement, outcomes, and overall cost?

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the shortcomings of patient portals, share current trends in patient and customer communication preferences, and explore how text communication can improve portal adoption and patient engagement.

Why Patient Portals Aren’t Enough

At their core, patient portals are online platforms that provide access to a range of healthcare-related services. These services typically include:

Access to medical records
Secure messaging with healthcare providers
Appointment scheduling
Prescription refill requests
Bill payments

These portals were designed with good intentions, but as we’ll discuss, they often fall short of delivering the seamless, user-friendly experience that people expect today.

Preferences for Healthcare Communications

Healthcare communication preferences have shifted. Today’s patients don’t just want portals—they want a range of communication options, from phone calls and emails to secure texts. According to a 2023 survey by Accenture, patients’ preferred communication channels include:

Phone Calls: 62% of patients still prefer phone conversations with their healthcare providers.
Email: 44% like receiving emails for lab results, appointment reminders, and other updates.
Text Messaging: 37% of patients prefer receiving healthcare communications via text, particularly for reminders and follow-ups.
Patient Portals: Only 28% of patients prefer using portals for routine interactions.

There are several reasons why people are reluctant to adopt patient portals, including:

Complexity: Many portals can be clunky, difficult to navigate, and not user-friendly. Patients and customers often find it difficult to log in, locate their information, or contact their provider or supplier through the portal.
Lack of Engagement: Patients are rarely encouraged to use these portals consistently, and some are unaware they even exist.
Concerns About Security: While patient portals are designed to be secure, many patients still harbor concerns about their personal health information being compromised.
Limited Access: Some portals only provide limited access to medical records, appointment scheduling, or other information, making them less useful.

Relying solely on patient portals leaves a significant portion of patients and customers under-served. By integrating secure texting apps into their engagement strategies, healthcare providers, payers and suppliers can diversify their communication methods and connect with patients and customers more effectively across the channels they prefer.

How Secure Texting Complements Patient Portals

Secure texting apps for healthcare solve many of the issues patient portals alone cannot. By offering an additional, patient-friendly communication channel, these apps improve patient engagement and streamline interactions.

Here’s how secure texting apps work:

Secure Access to Patient Portals: Secure texting apps allow patients to access ePHI and other sensitive information directly from mobile devices via regular SMS text messages.
Instant Notifications & Alerts: Patients and customers can click on a link in text messages and view information in a secure mobile web browser on their smartphones or tablets, including appointment reminders, updates, product upgrades and promotions.
User-friendly: Most secure texting apps are designed with usability in mind, offering an intuitive, seamless experience – with no new applications required.

By offering secure texting as an additional communication channel, healthcare organizations can reach more patients and customers, and improve engagement by offering patients multiple channel options for communication and easier access to portals.

Security and HIPAA Compiance

It’s essential to note that not all texting apps are appropriate for healthcare use. Traditional text messaging services don’t offer the level of encryption and security required by HIPAA regulations, making them risky for exchanging protected health information (PHI).

LuxSci’s secure texting for healthcare ensures that patient and customer communications comply with HIPAA’s strict privacy and security standards. Our secure texting solution offers encryption, authentication, and data protection, ensuring that patients can directly and safely access portals for viewing health information, treatment plans, payments, promotions and more.

Benefits of Secure Texting for Healthcare

Adopting secure texting apps for healthcare, alongside other communication tools, including email and web forms, brings numerous benefits to both patients and providers, including:

Increased Engagement: Patients and customers are more likely to respond and engage with providers through their preferred communication method, not just a portal.
Improved Outcomes and Results: Engaged patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans, stay informed and use the right products, improving overall health outcomes.
Lower Costs and Greater Efficiency: Better communication leads to fewer missed appointments, more efficient processes and greater patient participation in their healthcare journeys.
Greater Satisfaction: Patients and customers appreciate having a choice in how they communicate with their providers and healthcare suppliers, leading to higher satisfaction, loyalty and trust.
Reduce Missed Appointments: Instant notifications and reminders via text can help patients stay on top of their appointments and follow-ups.

Secure Texting is Key to Modern Healthcare Communication

Patient portals alone are no longer enough to drive the kind of patient engagement needed for optimal healthcare outcomes. By integrating secure texting apps for healthcare with other communication tools like email and web forms, providers can offer a more patient-centric approach to healthcare communication.

At LuxSci, we’re committed to helping healthcare providers offer secure, HIPAA-compliant communication solutions that improve patient engagement, outcomes and results. By giving patients the flexibility to choose their preferred communication channel—whether it’s secure texting, email, phone, or a patient portal—you can increase engagement, improve outcomes, and lower costs.

Want to learn more about secure texting for healthcare? Reach out and connect with us today!

FAQs

What are secure texting apps for healthcare? Secure texting apps for healthcare are HIPAA-compliant platforms that enable encrypted, secure communication between healthcare providers and patients via text message.
Why are patient portals underutilized? Patient portals often have usability issues, complex login procedures, and limited functionality, making them less appealing to patients and customers.
Is secure texting HIPAA-compliant? Yes, when done through solutions like LuxSci Secure Text, communications can be encrypted and meet HIPAA’s stringent security requirements.

Get in touch

Find The Best Solution For Your Organization

Talk To An Expert & Get A Quote

First Name

Last Name

Work Email

Phone

Company

Type of Inquiry

Company Size

Message (optional)

Acceptance

I consent to be contacted by LuxSci for this inquiry and other relevant content, products, and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. We're committed to your privacy. For more information, check out our Privacy Policy.

A member of our staff will reach out to you

Search

Get Your Free E-Book!

LuxSci High Email Deliverability Best Practices Paper

What you’ll learn:

Enter your email to download now!

We respect your privacy. No spam, ever.

Know the Biggest Email Threats Facing Healthcare Right Now

July 16, 2025
Pete Wermter

Due to its near-universal adoption, speed, and cost-effectiveness, email remains one of the most common communication channels in healthcare. Consequently, it’s one of the most frequent targets for cyber attacks, as malicious actors are acutely aware of the vast amounts of sensitive data contained in messages – and standard email communication’s inherent vulnerabilities.

In light of this, healthcare organizations must remain aware of the evolving email threat landscape, and implement effective strategies to protect the electronic protected health information (ePHI) included in email messages. Failing to properly secure email communications jeopardizes patient data privacy, which can disrupt operations, result in costly HIPAA compliance violations, and, most importantly, compromise the quality of their patients’ healthcare provision.

With all this in mind, this post details the biggest email threats faced by healthcare organizations today, with the greatest potential to cause your business or practice harm by compromising patient and company data. You can also get our 2025 report on the latest email threats, which includes strategies on how to overcome them.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts, corrupts, or deletes a healthcare organization’s data or critical systems, and enables the cybercriminals that deployed it to demand a payment (i.e., a ransom) for their restoration. Healthcare personnel can unwittingly download ransomware onto their devices by opening a malicious email attachment or clicking on a link contained in an email.

In recent years, ransomware has emerged as the email security threat with the most significant financial impact. In 2024, for instance, there were over 180 confirmed ransomware attacks with an average paid ransom of nearly $1 million.

Email Client Misconfiguration

While a healthcare organization may implement email security controls, many fail to know the security gaps of their current email service provider (ESP) or understand the value of a HIPAA compliant email platform, leaving data vulnerable to email threats, such as unauthorized access and ePHI exposure, and also, subsequently, a greater risk of compliance violations and reputation damage.

Common types of email misconfiguration include:

Lack of enforced TLS encryption: resulting in emails being transmitted in plaintext, rendering the patient data they contain readable by cybercriminals in the event of interception during transit.
Improper SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup: failure to configure or align these email authentication protocols correctly gives malicious actors greater latitude to successfully spoof trusted domains.
Disabled or lax user authentication: a lack of authentication measures, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), increases the risk of unauthorized access and ePHI exposure.
Misconfigured secure email gateways: incorrect rules or filtering policies can allow phishing emails through or block legitimate messages.
Outdated or unsupported email client software: simply neglecting to download and apply the latest updates or patches from the email client’s vendor can leave vulnerabilities, which are well-known to cybercriminals, exposed to attack.

Social Engineering Attacks

A social engineering attack involves a malicious actor deceiving or convincing healthcare employees into granting unauthorized access or exposing patient data. Relying on psychological manipulation, social engineering attacks exploit a person’s trust, urgency, fear, or curiosity, and encompass an assortment of threats, including phishing and business email compromise (BEC) attacks, which are covered in greater depth below.

Phishing

As mentioned above, phishing is a type of social engineering attack, but they are so widespread that it warrants its own mention. Phishing sees malicious actors impersonating legitimate companies, or their employees, to trick victims into revealing sensitive patient data.

Subsequently, healthcare organizations can be subjected to several different types of phishing attacks, which include:

General phishing: otherwise known as bulk phishing or simply ‘phishing’, these are broad, generic attacks where emails are sent to large numbers of recipients, impersonating trusted entities to steal credentials or deliver malware.
Spear phishing: more targeted attacks that involve personalized phishing emails crafted for a specific healthcare organization or individual. These require more research on the part of malicious actors and typically use relevant insider details gleaned from their reconnaissance for additional credibility.
Whaling: a form of spear phishing that specifically targets healthcare executives or other high-level employees.
Clone phishing: when a cybercriminal duplicates a legitimate email that was previously received by the target, replacing links or attachments with malicious ones.
Credential phishing: also known as ‘pharming’, this involves emails that link to fake login pages designed to capture healthcare employees’ usernames and passwords under the guise of frequently used legitimate services.

Domain Impersonation and Spoofing

This category of threat revolves around making malicious messages appear legitimate, which can allow them to bypass basic email security checks. As alluded to above, these attacks exploit weaknesses in email client misconfigurations to trick the recipient, typically to expose and exfiltrate patient data, steal employee credentials, or distribute malware.

Domain spoofing email threats involve altering the “From” address in an email header to make it appear to be from a legitimate domain. If a healthcare organization fails to properly configure authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, there’s a greater risk of their email servers failing to flag malicious messages and allowing them to land in users’ inboxes.

Domain impersonation, on the other hand, requires cybercriminals to register a domain that closely resembles a legitimate one. This may involve typosquatting, e.g., using “paypa1.com” instead of “paypal.com”. Alternatively, a hacker may utilize a homograph attack, which substitutes visually similar characters, e.g., from different character sets, such as Cyrillic. Malicious actors will then send emails from these fraudulent domains, which often have the ability to bypass basic email filters because they aren’t exact matches for blacklisted domains. Worse still, such emails can appear authentic to users, particularly if the attacker puts in the effort to accurately mimic the branding, formatting, and tone used by the legitimate entity they’re attempting to impersonate.

Insider Email Threats

In addition to external parties, employees within a healthcare organization can pose email threats to the security of its PHI. On one hand, insider threats can be intentional, involving disgruntled employees or third-party personnel abusing their access privileges to steal or corrupt patient data. Alternatively, they could be the result of mere human error or negligence, stemming from ignorance, or even fatigue.

What’s more, insider threats have been exacerbated by the rise of remote and flexible conditions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created more complex IT infrastructures that are more difficult to manage and control.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks

A BEC attack is a highly targeted type of social engineering attack in which cybercriminals gain access to, or copy, a legitimate email account to impersonate a known and trusted individual within an organization. BEC attacks typically require extensive research on the targeted healthcare company and rely less on malicious links or attachments, unlike phishing, which can make them difficult to detect.

Due to the high volume of emails transmitted within the healthcare industry, and the sensitive nature of PHI often included in communications to patients and between organizations, the healthcare industry is a consistent target of BEC attacks.

BEC attacks come in several forms, such as:

Account compromise: hijacking a real employee’s account and sending fraudulent messages.
Executive fraud: impersonating high-ranking personnel to request urgent financial transactions or access to sensitive data.
Invoice fraud: pretending to be a vendor asking for the payment of a fraudulent invoice into an account under their control.

Supply Chain Risk

Healthcare organizations increasingly rely on third-party vendors, including cloud service providers, software vendors, and billing or payment providers to serve their patients and customers. They constantly communicate with their supply chain partners via email, with some messages containing sensitive patient data; moreover, some of these organizations will have various levels of access to the PHI under their care.

Consequently, undetected vulnerabilities or lax security practices within your supply chain network could serve as entry points for email threats and malicious action. For instance, cybercriminals can compromise the email servers of a healthcare company’s third-party vendor or partner, and then send fraudulent emails from their domains to deploy malware or extract patient data.

Another, somewhat harrowing, way to understand supply chain risk is that while your organization may have a robust email security posture, in reality, it’s only as strong as that of your weakest third-party vendor’s security controls.

Download LuxSci’s Email Cyber Threat Readiness Report

To gain further insight into the biggest email threats to healthcare companies in 2025, including increasingly prevalent AI threats, download your copy of LuxSci’s Email Cyber Threat Readiness Report.

You’ll also learn about the upcoming changes to the HIPAA Security Rule and how it’s set to impact your organization going forward, and the most effective strategies for strengthening your email security posture.

Grab your copy of the report here and begin the journey to strengthening your company’s email threat readiness today.

What is the Best HIPAA Compliant Email?

July 10, 2025
Erik Kangas

The best HIPAA compliant email contains strong security features with ease of use and reasonable pricing. Top options include properly configured Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 accounts with Business Associate Agreements in place. Look at HIPAA compliant email platforms that offer encryption, access controls, audit logging, and secure mobile access while fitting their practice size, budget, and technical capabilities.

HIPAA Compliant Email Features

Healthcare professionals require email systems with particular security capabilities to protect client communications. Any HIPAA compliant email must include automatic encryption that works without requiring clients to create accounts or remember passwords. You need detailed access logs that document when messages were sent, received, and viewed. Message recall capabilities help address accidental disclosures before they become compliance issues. Calendar integration supports secure appointment scheduling and reminders. Mobile access controls ensure therapists can communicate safely from smartphones and tablets during off-hours or between office locations. Document sharing features allow secure exchange of intake forms and treatment plans. These capabilities help therapists maintain compliant communications while managing their practice efficiently.

Popular HIPAA Compliant Email Platforms

Several email providers offer solutions well-suited to mental health professionals. Hushmail for Healthcare includes features designed for therapists with web-based secure forms for client intake and customizable email templates. Paubox delivers encrypted email that works without requiring recipients to take extra steps, making it ideal for client communications. Virtru integrates with existing Gmail or Outlook accounts to add HIPAA compliant protections without changing email addresses. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 provide affordable options when properly configured with appropriate security settings and covered by Business Associate Agreements. Smaller therapy practices often prefer these mainstream platforms for their familiarity and integration with other practice tools.

Security Considerations for Healthcare Communications

Secure healthcare communications require thoughtful security approaches due to their sensitive nature. HIPAA compliant email should include protections against phishing attacks that might target patient information. Data loss prevention tools identify and secure messages containing sensitive information even when users forget to enable encryption. Account recovery procedures must balance security with practicality for small practices. Multi-factor authentication prevents unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.

For example, healthcare personnel handling substance use disorder information need email systems that comply with both HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 requirements. Solutions should accommodate supervision relationships where communications may need controlled sharing with supervisors.

Client Experience and Usability Factors

The best HIPAA compliant email solutions balance security with positive client experiences. Buyers should evaluate how encryption affects the client’s process for reading and responding to messages. Some solutions require clients to create accounts or install software, while others deliver protected messages that open with minimal friction. Mobile compatibility matters as many clients prefer communicating from smartphones. Branding options allow therapists to maintain professional appearance in all communications. Automated responses help set appropriate expectations about response timing and emergency protocols. Client-facing secure forms streamline intake processes while maintaining compliance.

HIPAA Compliant Email Implementation for Medical Practices

Implementing secure email requires planning tailored to medical practice workflows. Solo practitioners need solutions with straightforward setup and minimal ongoing maintenance. Group practices benefit from centralized administration that enforces consistent security policies across all therapists. Practice management integration connects secure email with scheduling, billing, and documentation systems.

Transition planning helps migrate existing communications to new secure platforms without disrupting client relationships. Documentation templates ensure compliance with both HIPAA and professional ethical standards for electronic communications. Training materials must address both technical operation and appropriate clinical use cases. When implementing HIPAA compliant email practice admins should create workflow procedures that incorporate secure communication into their practice routines.

Cost Considerations For Selecting Email Services

Healthcare providers must balance security requirements with budget realities when selecting HIPAA compliant email. Pricing models vary significantly, with some services charging per user while others offer flat-rate plans better suited to solo practitioners. Additional fees may apply for features like secure forms, extra storage, or advanced security controls. Implementation costs include time spent on configuration, training, and client education about new communication methods. Some platforms offer discounted rates for professional association members or multi-year commitments. Buyers should calculate the total cost of ownership beyond monthly subscription fees, including technical support and compliance documentation. Affordable HIPAA compliant email options exist for practices of all sizes, but require thoughtful evaluation of both immediate pricing and long-term value.

Integrating Email with Broader Practice Security

HIPAA compliant email represents one component of comprehensive practice security. Email solutions should complement electronic health record systems while maintaining appropriate boundaries between clinical documentation and communications. Device management policies ensure therapists access email securely across computers, tablets, and smartphones. Backup procedures preserve communications while maintaining security protections. Incident response planning prepares therapists for addressing potential security issues or breaches. Regular security reviews evaluate whether email practices continue to meet evolving compliance requirements. By integrating email security with broader practice safeguards, therapists create communication systems that protect client information throughout its lifecycle.

What Are Email HIPAA Compliance Requirements?

July 2, 2025
Erik Kangas

Email HIPAA compliance is the privacy and security standards that healthcare organizations must implement when using electronic mail to transmit, store, or discuss protected health information. These requirements include encryption protocols, access controls, audit logging, and administrative safeguards that protect patient data during email communications. Healthcare providers, payers, and suppliers must understand email HIPAA compliance obligations to avoid costly violations while maintaining effective communication with patients, business partners, and other healthcare organizations. Understanding email HIPAA compliance helps organizations select appropriate email platforms, train staff on proper procedures, and implement policies that protect patient information while supporting clinical and administrative workflows.

Privacy Rule Requirements For Email HIPAA Compliance

The Privacy Rule establishes how healthcare organizations can use and disclose protected health information in email communications without violating patient privacy rights. Email HIPAA compliance permits healthcare organizations to use patient information for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without obtaining individual patient authorization. Clinical communications between providers, billing discussions with payers, and care coordination activities fall under these permitted uses when proper safeguards are implemented.

Healthcare organizations must provide privacy notices to patients explaining how their information may be used in email communications and their rights regarding this information. Patients have the right to request restrictions on how their information is shared via email, though organizations are not always required to agree to these limitations. Email HIPAA compliance requires organizations to honor reasonable requests and provide mechanisms for patients to file complaints about email privacy practices.

Minimum necessary standards require healthcare organizations to limit email communications to the smallest amount of protected health information needed for the specific purpose. This means that diagnosis details, treatment notes, and other sensitive information should only be included when necessary for patient care or business operations. Organizations must evaluate their email practices to ensure compliance with minimum necessary requirements across different communication types.

Security Rule Standards For Email HIPAA Compliance

The Security Rule requires healthcare organizations to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect electronic protected health information transmitted via email. Administrative safeguards include appointing security officers responsible for email systems, conducting workforce training on email privacy requirements, and establishing procedures for granting and revoking email access. These safeguards ensure that only authorized personnel can access patient information during email communications.

Technical safeguards focus on access controls, encryption, audit logging, and transmission security for email systems. Email HIPAA compliance requires user authentication systems that verify the identity of individuals accessing email containing patient information. Encryption protects email content during transmission and storage, while audit logs track who accesses patient information and when these access events occur.

Physical safeguards protect computer systems, mobile devices, and facilities where email containing patient information is accessed or stored. Organizations must implement workstation security controls, device controls for mobile email access, and media disposal procedures for devices containing patient communications. These protections prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing patient information through physical security breaches.

Regular security assessments evaluate email systems for vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches or unauthorized disclosures. Email HIPAA compliance requires organizations to address identified weaknesses and maintain documentation of security measures. Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning help identify potential problems before they result in privacy violations.

Business Associate Requirements For Email HIPAA Compliance

Third-party email service providers that handle protected health information on behalf of healthcare organizations must operate as business associates under HIPAA regulations. Business associate agreements must specify how email providers will protect patient information, limit data use to authorized purposes, and report security incidents or unauthorized disclosures. Email HIPAA compliance requires healthcare organizations to verify that their email providers have appropriate security measures in place.

Common email business associates include cloud email providers, managed email services, and email security vendors. Each relationship requires careful evaluation of privacy and security risks along with appropriate contractual protections. Organizations must verify that business associates maintain their own HIPAA compliance programs and provide documentation of security measures.

Business associates must implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for email systems and ensure that subcontractors also comply with HIPAA requirements. This includes providing security training to their workforce, maintaining audit logs, and reporting security incidents to healthcare organizations. When business associate relationships end, email providers must return or destroy patient information as specified in their agreements.

Staff Training And Policy Development

Healthcare organizations must train staff on email HIPAA compliance requirements and organizational policies for handling patient information in electronic communications. Training programs should cover identification of protected health information, appropriate use of email systems, and procedures for reporting potential privacy violations. Staff members need to understand when email communications require additional security measures and how to use secure email platforms correctly.

Policy development includes establishing procedures for email encryption, recipient verification, and incident reporting when security concerns arise. Organizations should develop different policies for various types of email communications, including patient care coordination, billing discussions, and business partner communications. Regular policy updates address changing regulations and technology developments that affect email security.

Competency assessments verify that staff understand their responsibilities when handling patient information in email communications. Organizations should document training activities and maintain records of staff compliance with email privacy policies. Regular refresher training keeps staff updated on changing requirements and reinforces proper email security practices.

Monitoring And Incident Response For Email HIPAA Compliance

Healthcare organizations need ongoing monitoring programs to ensure that email practices remain compliant with HIPAA requirements and identify potential issues before they result in violations. Regular audits should examine email content for appropriate privacy protections, verify that security safeguards function correctly, and assess whether staff follow established policies. These audits help demonstrate ongoing commitment to protecting patient information.

Incident response procedures specifically address email-related security breaches or privacy violations, including notification requirements and remediation steps. Organizations must have clear procedures for investigating potential breaches involving email communications, determining whether notification is required, and implementing corrective actions to prevent future incidents. Training on incident response helps staff recognize and respond appropriately to email security issues.

Documentation requirements include maintaining records of email policies, training activities, security assessments, and compliance monitoring efforts. This documentation helps demonstrate compliance efforts during regulatory investigations and supports continuous improvement of email practices. Organizations should retain documentation for required periods and ensure records are complete and accessible when regulatory authorities request information about email HIPAA compliance practices.

Why is High Email Deliverability Essential for Healthcare Companies?

June 30, 2025
Pete Wermter

With email communication playing a critical role in the customer engagement strategies of virtually every organization, high email deliverability rates are vital to success across all industries. In the healthcare sector, however, the stakes can be far higher. An undelivered email isn’t merely an inconvenience or a lost sales opportunity; it could mean a missed appointment, a delay in a prescription refill, or a failure to get a patient critical healthcare information. Or worse, the email could end up in the hands of an unintended recipient, including bad actors and cybercriminals.

With this in mind, this post details why high email deliverability is essential for healthcare companies, as well as how your organization benefits from reliable and rapid email delivery.

Speed and Efficiency

The primary reason that high email deliverability is crucially important to healthcare organizations is to best guarantee essential communications that directly impact an individual’s healthcare journey reach them promptly. These transactional emails can include appointment reminders, prescription renewals, product order confirmations, test results, explanation of benefits notices, payment reminders, and invoices. Administrative notifications related to software or systems that a patient might use, such as a password reset for an online portal, also fall under the category of transactional emails.

When transactional emails are delayed or fail to reach people altogether, they can compromise a patient’s ability to access care, adhere to treatment plans, stay informed on key facets of their healthcare journey, and, ultimately, achieve optimal health outcomes.

When a patient fails to receive an expected email, such as a prescription confirmation, for example, it can leave them feeling confused and unsure of what to do next. For individuals who are sick, elderly, or managing chronic conditions, this can cause unnecessary stress, anxiety, and even compromise adherence to care plans.

In contrast, high email delivery rates create the opposite effect, helping patients get the communications and information they need. This increases their trust in your company and gives them a firmer sense of control over their healthcare journey.

Compliance with HIPAA Regulations

While the above point stresses the importance of reliable email delivery for the patient’s and customer’s benefit, healthcare companies also have a vested interest in ensuring communications reach the intended recipient for regulatory and patient privacy reasons.

To comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), emails that contain sensitive patient data, i.e., electronic protected health information (ePHI), must be securely delivered to the intended recipient. If, on the other hand, a communication containing ePHI fails to reach the intended recipient patient, that represents a failure in secure communications and a potential HIPAA violation for your organization.

After all, where did the patient’s data go? Was it delivered to the wrong person? Was it blocked by a spam filter and is left sitting unencrypted on a server somewhere?

If you can’t answer these questions, you could be exposed to a data breach, and it could result in a HIPAA violation, meaning your organization incurrs the associated consequences, including financial penalties and reputational damage. Conversely, deploying a fully HIPAA compliant email solution, such as LuxSci, supported by a dedicated infrastructure and designed for high email delivery enables your organization to include patient data in communications with confidence and ensure you messages land in the recipient’s inbox.

Greater Levels of Personalization and Engagement

Finally, high email deliverability rates are essential for healthcare organizations because they help drive greater levels of engagement with patients and customers. Higher email deliverability means better inbox placement, leading to more emails being opened, more links being clicked, and more conversions for your communications and campaigns.

In the case of healthcare retailers, for example, this equates to converting more prospects into customers and, consequently, maximizing the ROI of email marketing campaigns, in some cases with up to 80% better results.

While healthcare marketers, understandably, focus most of their efforts on crafting attention-grabbing headlines, personalizing the message content, and the email’s design elements, these factors are rendered irrelevant if the message fails to reach the recipient in the first place! When you take this into account, high email deliverability is a crucial component in optimizing the ROI of email communications and campaigns, and an all too often overlooked component at that.

Get Your Copy LuxSci’s Achieving High Email Deliverability Best Practices Paper

To learn more about the importance and value of high email deliverability for healthcare companies, download your copy of LuxSci’s latest Best Practices Paper: How to Achieve High Email Deliverability in Healthcare. You’ll discover:

How to opitmize performance for the different types of healthcare emails.
Powerful strategies for increasing your company’s email deliverability rates.
How small increases in email deliverability can have considerable effects on your marketing ROI

Grab your copy of the report here, and learn how to enhance your email deliverability rates today.

Do You Need a VPN to Be HIPAA Compliant?

December 10, 2024
Erik Kangas

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is not explicitly required by HIPAA regulations, but many healthcare organizations use VPNs as part of their security strategy to become HIPAA compliant. The HIPAA Security Rule requires appropriate protections for electronic protected health information without mandating particular technologies. VPNs help meet these requirements by encrypting data transmission, establishing secure remote access, and creating access controls that protect patient information from unauthorized disclosure.

HIPAA Network Protection Standards

The HIPAA Security Rule sets standards for protecting electronic health information without prescribing exact technical implementations. Healthcare organizations must implement safeguards that protect data integrity, confidentiality, and availability. Network protection measures matter when transmitting patient information across public networks. To become HIPAA Compliant, organizations must verify that transmitted information remains unaltered during transfer. Only authorized personnel should view sensitive data, regardless of whether access occurs within healthcare facilities or from remote locations. Many healthcare providers use VPNs to address these requirements, especially for staff working outside main facilities.

VPN Encryption Benefits

VPNs establish encrypted connections between devices and healthcare systems, creating protected pathways for data movement. When staff use public WiFi or home networks, this encryption prevents interception of patient information. Most VPN systems include authentication protocols that confirm user identity before granting system access. Access limitations can be configured to restrict which systems and information each user can view through VPN connections. Healthcare organizations often include VPN implementation details in their documentation during compliance audits or assessments, demonstrating how they protect data during transmission.

Securing Off-Site Healthcare Access

Medical professionals increasingly need access to patient records from various locations outside traditional facilities. Remote clinical work, telehealth appointments, and home-based administration all require secure handling of protected health information. Regardless of work location, HIPAA compliance demands consistent data protection standards. VPNs create secure connection tunnels that help maintain this protection across various networks and locations. For remote work to succeed, organizations develop clear guidelines about when VPN use becomes mandatory and how staff should establish secure connections. Mobile device management typically works alongside VPN protocols to ensure all endpoints meet security standards.

Exploring Security Alternatives

Healthcare organizations can meet HIPAA requirements without VPNs through several alternative approaches. Applications with built-in end-to-end encryption create secure channels for data transfer without full network encryption. Many cloud platforms designed for healthcare include sufficient authentication and security features for certain workflows. Some organizations implement zero trust architectures that verify every access request rather than relying on perimeter security. In practice, many healthcare systems use multiple security technologies rather than depending on any single solution. What matters for HIPAA compliance isn’t the technology chosen, but whether patient information remains properly protected throughout its lifecycle.

Technical VPN Deployment Factors

When implementing VPNs for healthcare environments, several technical elements require attention. Encryption must meet current standards like AES-256 to adequately protect healthcare data. Authentication should involve multiple verification factors beyond passwords alone. Usage monitoring helps identify unusual patterns that might indicate security problems. Staff need training on correct VPN procedures and potential security risks. IT support must address connection difficulties promptly, as frustrated users might otherwise bypass security measures. How these elements work together determines whether VPN deployment strengthens or weakens overall security posture.

Compliance Documentation Practices

HIPAA requires thorough documentation of all security measures and risk evaluations. Security policies should describe VPN usage requirements, configuration standards, and monitoring practices. System architecture documentation must show how VPN connections fit within the overall network design. Regular risk assessment examines potential vulnerabilities in VPN implementations. Response plans outline steps to address potential VPN security incidents. Well-organized documentation helps organizations demonstrate reasonable security efforts during regulatory reviews. During audits or investigations, clear records of security implementation decisions provide evidence of due diligence in protecting patient information

Is Google Sites HIPAA Compliant?

January 3, 2025
Erik Kangas

Google Sites is not HIPAA compliant for healthcare websites that handle protected health information (PHI), as Google does not include Google Sites in its Business Associate Agreement (BAA) coverage, making it unsuitable for patient data regardless of security settings. While Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) can be configured for HIPAA compliance with a signed BAA, this agreement specifically excludes Google Sites from covered services. Healthcare organizations need alternative platforms if their websites will collect or display protected health information.

Website Building Tool Limitations

Google Sites provides basic website creation tools designed for simplicity rather than regulatory compliance. The platform allows users to build websites without coding knowledge using templates and drag-and-drop elements. Google Sites lacks several security features necessary for handling healthcare information properly. The platform doesn’t offer encryption for stored website content beyond Google’s standard protections. User access settings provide basic sharing controls but not the detailed permission systems HIPAA requires. Form capabilities in Google Sites don’t include secure processing methods for healthcare data. These limitations reflect Google Sites’ purpose as a general website builder rather than a healthcare platform.

Understanding BAA Exclusions

Google offers a Business Associate Agreement for Google Workspace customers, but this agreement explicitly excludes Google Sites from coverage. The BAA lists Google services approved for protected health information, with Google Sites HIPAA compliant status clearly marked as unsupported. Healthcare organizations cannot legally use Google Sites for patient information regardless of security measures they implement. Google’s compliance documentation clearly states which services support HIPAA requirements and which don’t qualify. Organizations sometimes mistakenly assume all Google services become compliant when they sign Google’s BAA, creating risks when using excluded services like Google Sites.

Approved Google Workspace Services

While Google Sites HIPAA compliant options don’t exist, other Google Workspace services can be configured to meet healthcare requirements. Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Meet qualify for BAA coverage when properly implemented. Organizations using these approved services must still configure appropriate security settings like encryption and access controls. Google provides compliance documentation explaining how to implement these protections correctly. Healthcare organizations often use compliant Google Workspace services for internal operations while selecting different platforms for patient-facing websites and communications. This approach leverages Google’s collaborative tools while maintaining appropriate compliance boundaries.

Permissible Google Sites Usage

Healthcare organizations can use Google Sites for content that doesn’t involve protected health information. The platform works well for staff intranet sites containing policies, procedures, and internal resources when no patient data is included. Public information websites displaying services, provider details, and location information can use Google Sites without compliance concerns. Educational resources and general health information without patient-specific details remain appropriate for the platform. Organizations must maintain clear policies about what information appears on their websites to prevent accidental disclosure of protected information. When creating non-PHI content, Google Sites offers an accessible option for healthcare organizations.

Selecting Healthcare Website Platforms

Healthcare organizations seeking HIPAA compliant website options have several alternatives to Google Sites. Content management systems like WordPress can be configured for HIPAA compliance with proper hosting and security implementations. Specialized healthcare website platforms include appropriate security measures and standard BAA offerings. Patient portal systems designed specifically for healthcare provide built-in compliance features. Some organizations build custom websites on compliant cloud infrastructures like Google Cloud Platform (which does support HIPAA compliance with a BAA). When evaluating whether Google Sites HIPAA compliant solutions exist, healthcare organizations find that these alternatives typically require more knowledge or higher investment but provide necessary compliance capabilities.

Making Informed Platform Decisions

Healthcare organizations should follow a structured approach when selecting website platforms. This process begins with determining exactly what information the website needs to collect or display. Organizations should document whether any content qualifies as protected health information under HIPAA definitions. Organizational capabilities can influence platform choices and implementation approaches. A documented selection process demonstrates due diligence, which proves valuable during compliance audits or reviews. Budget planning balances platform costs against compliance requirements. Many healthcare groups may benefit from consulting compliance specialists when making platform decisions.

What Makes a Platform HIPAA Compliant?

November 20, 2024
Erik Kangas

A platform becomes HIPAA compliant through a combination of security features, privacy controls, and administrative processes that protect patient information according to HIPAA regulations. No platform is inherently compliant—rather, compliance emerges from implementing required safeguards, obtaining a Business Associate Agreement, and configuring the platform HIPAA compliant settings to handle protected health information properly. Healthcare organizations must evaluate platforms based on these capabilities and implement appropriate security measures to maintain compliance.

Core Security Protections

To make a platform HIPAA compliant, entities must incorporate several fundamental security capabilities. Encryption protects data both during storage and transmission, preventing unauthorized access. Authentication systems verify user identities through methods like password requirements and multi-factor verification. Access controls restrict what information different users can view based on job roles and responsibilities. Audit logging creates records of who accessed information and what actions they performed. Backup systems maintain data availability while incorporating appropriate security protections. These features enable organizations to implement the safeguards required by the HIPAA Security Rule.

Vendor Agreement Framework

HIPAA compliant platforms provide Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) establishing vendor responsibilities for protecting healthcare information. These agreements define how the platform vendor handles protected health information and outlines security obligations. Platforms designed for healthcare use typically offer standardized BAAs as part of their service agreements. The agreement specifies which portions of the platform fall under compliance coverage, as some vendors exclude certain features or services. Organizations must obtain these agreements before storing any patient information on third-party platforms regardless of security features implemented.

Patient Data Privacy Mechanisms

Platforms supporting healthcare data incorporate privacy controls aligned with HIPAA requirements. Notice functionality allows organizations to inform patients about information usage and their privacy rights. Consent management captures and stores patient authorizations for information disclosures. Access request handling helps organizations respond when patients want copies of their records. These privacy features help organizations fulfill obligations under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. While security prevents unauthorized access, privacy controls manage authorized information usage according to regulatory requirements and patient preferences.

Compliance Evidence Generation

To make a platform HIPAA compliant, entities can adopt solutions that provide documentation capabilities demonstrating regulatory adherence. Configuration documentation shows how security settings protect patient information. Audit reports detail system access and usage patterns for compliance verification. Risk assessment tools help identify potential vulnerabilities within platform implementations. These documentation features support healthcare organizations during internal reviews and external audits. Thorough reporting capabilities allow organizations to demonstrate due diligence in protecting healthcare information when questions arise about compliance status.

Healthcare Process Enablement

Platforms designed for healthcare environments incorporate features that maintain compliance while supporting clinical and administrative workflows. Secure messaging allows providers to discuss patient care without compromising confidentiality. Document management includes appropriate security controls for clinical records. Task management tracks workforce activities while protecting associated patient information. These workflow capabilities allow healthcare organizations to maintain productivity while adhering to regulatory requirements. The platform architecture considers both security needs and practical usage patterns within healthcare environments.

Continuous Protection Adaptation

HIPAA compliant maintenance includes features that support compliance over time as threats evolve. Vulnerability scanning identifies potential security issues as they emerge. Update mechanisms implement security patches without disrupting operations. Configuration management prevents inadvertent changes that might compromise compliance status. Training tools help staff understand proper system usage and security procedures. These management capabilities help organizations maintain compliance as technology and regulations evolve. Effective platforms reduce the administrative burden of ongoing compliance management while maintaining appropriate security controls

LuxSci Unveils New Website and Branding – A New Era of Personalized Healthcare Engagement

September 5, 2024
LuxSci

Today, we’re excited to unveil our new website and branding, reflecting the company’s next stage of growth and evolution – as well as our aspirations to bring more clarity to data security and the HIPAA compliance landscape for healthcare communications.

In an era where healthcare is rapidly evolving, personalized engagement and communications are more critical than ever, driving greater participation in today’s healthcare journeys and delivering better outcomes. At the same time, HIPAA compliance and the security of protected health information (PHI) are a constant concern for all healthcare organizations. New regulations and cybersecurity threats pop up almost daily and without warning.

At LuxSci, we believe that you can both protect PHI data and use it to carry out more personalized, more effective, and more inclusive healthcare experiences. Our new website and branding are designed to represent this belief, and to help you make the smartest decisions when it comes to secure healthcare communications and HIPAA compliance.

Personalization: The Key to Better Healthcare Engagement

With new healthcare initiatives aimed at increasing patient participation rapidly emerging, including connected care and value-based care, one-size-fits-all communication strategies are no longer effective. Today, patients and customers increasingly expect personalized, relevant, and timely communications over the channel of their choice – and organizations that can deliver on these expectations will deliver better healthcare outcomes for everyone involved. The problem is that patient portal adoption has been hovering at around 50-60% for years, leaving a large portion of the population out of the health conversation.

Now’s the time for healthcare organizations to take action by adopting a more multi-channel approach to communications – while remaining HIPAA-compliant. LuxSci’s new website highlights our capabilities in helping you protect and leverage PHI data for personalized healthcare engagement across email, text, and marketing channels. By combining secure communication channels with advanced personalization powered by PHI data, we empower healthcare organizations to connect with patients in more meaningful ways across the end-to-end healthcare journey.

A New Look for a New Era

Over the years, LuxSci has been at the forefront of providing secure healthcare communications, establishing itself as a leader in HIPAA-compliant email. We serve some of the healthcare industry’s largest organizations, securely sending hundreds of millions of emails per month for our customers. This includes athenaHealth, Delta Dental, Rotech Healthcare, and 1800 Contacts, to name a few.

The launch of our new website reinforces our strategy to deliver a secure multi-channel healthcare communications suite that includes high volume email, and support for text, marketing and forms – and more in the future. Today, LuxSci’s secure healthcare communications suite includes:

Secure High Volume Email – proven, highly scalable HIPPA-compliant email.
Secure Email Gateway – Automatically encrypt emails sent from Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or on-premises solutions for HIPAA compliance.
Secure Marketing – Easy-to-use HIPAA-compliant email marketing solution for healthcare with advanced segmentation and automation.
Secure Text – Secure access to patient portals and digital platforms via SMS from any device – no application required.
Secure Forms – HIPAA-compliant data collection, including PHI, from patients and customers for improved workflows and business intelligence.

All LuxSci products are HIPAA-compliant and are anchored in the company’s highly flexible and automated SecureLine^TMencryption technology. LuxSci’s SecureLine^TM technology enables you to set different levels of security based on the needs and goals of your targets, and your business. This includes enabling the right level of security for your HIPPA-compliant communications – and all your communications. The best part: SecureLine^TM encryption technology is automated, so your users do not need to take any action to ensure all your communications are secured.

“Personalized communications are more likely to engage patients and customers, leading to better care, improved adherence to treatment plans, more purchases, higher satisfaction rates, and ultimately, improved health outcomes,” said Mark Leonard, CEO at LuxSci. “Our new website and branding underscores our ongoing commitment to empower healthcare organizations with best-in-class security and encryption, stellar customer support, and the power to connect with their patients and customers over the communication channel of their choice.”

Whether you’re a customer, partner, or healthcare professional on the lookout for your next HIPAA-compliant, secure healthcare communications solution, check out the new LuxSci website today. See how personalized healthcare engagement can impact your patients, your customers – and your business.

Visit the new LuxSci.com today!

If you’d like to talk, connect with us here.