With everything online now, including sensitive data like personal identification and medical histories, organizations should focus on protecting their clients' information. One data breach can have serious consequences, like hefty fines, losing patient trust, and legal trouble.

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a U.S. law that sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Recently, HubSpot announced its compliance with HIPAA regulations.

This blog will cover everything you should know about HubSpot's HIPAA compliance and how it can benefit healthcare providers, insurance companies, and any business handling protected health information (PHI).

What Is HIPAA?

HIPAA might sound like a complicated legal term, but it's pretty straightforward. Think of it as a set of rules to keep your medical information safe and private.

Healthcare providers are at a huge risk of data breaches. In Q3 2022, 1 in 42 healthcare organizations faced ransomware attacks.

You don't want just anyone reading your sensitive data, right? That's why HIPAA ensures that your health information is only seen and used by the right people for the right reasons.

Here's HIPAA in a nutshell:

• It's a U.S. law passed in 1996
• It protects sensitive patient health information
• It sets rules for how health data should be handled and secured
• It applies to healthcare providers, insurance companies, and their business partners

HIPAA ensures that your health information is properly protected while allowing the necessary flow of information to provide and promote high-quality health care.

Why Should Your CRM Be HIPAA-Compliant?

Nearly 93% of healthcare organizations experienced a data breach between 2017 and 2020, according to Herjavec Group’s Healthcare Cybersecurity Report, highlighting the urgent need for strong data protection.

A HIPAA-compliant CRM ensures that sensitive patient information, such as medical records and personal details, is securely stored and managed. A CRM like HubSpot helps prevent breaches, avoid costly fines, and maintain regulatory compliance—all while protecting patient trust.

A compliant CRM also streamlines communication between care teams and patients, improving efficiency by automating tasks like appointment reminders, follow-ups, and patient outreach. 

How Will HubSpot’s HIPAA Compliance Help Businesses?

HubSpot's recent HIPAA compliance is a game-changer for healthcare providers, insurance companies, and any business that handles protected health information (PHI).  

In the past, if you wanted to use HubSpot’s CRM tools, you had to jump through hoops to keep your patient data separate and secure. But now, any business dealing with PHI can use HubSpot without breaking a sweat over data security.

This update brings a host of benefits that not only ensure data security but also streamline operations and support regulatory compliance. Let's dive into the main advantages:

1. Enhanced Security

HubSpot now offers additional encryption and access controls that act like a high-tech vault for your data. Advanced encryption techniques ensure that even if someone unauthorized gets their hands on the data, they can’t read it. 

Access controls add another layer of protection. They work like a sophisticated key card system in a secure building. Only people with the right "key" (or, in this case, the proper credentials) can access specific areas of your data. 

You can fine-tune who sees what, ensuring sensitive information is only accessible to those who truly need it. 

These enhanced security features protect against external threats and help prevent accidental internal breaches, which are often a significant risk in healthcare settings. 

With these measures, HubSpot helps businesses maintain the trust of their patients and clients, which is invaluable in the healthcare industry. 

These measures also help you avoid any unnecessary costs. The average cost of a healthcare data breach in the U.S. is $9.23 million per incident.

2. Seamless Integration

One of the biggest challenges in healthcare IT has been integrating sensitive health data with customer relationship management (CRM) systems. HubSpot's HIPAA compliance solves this problem by seamlessly integrating PHI with its Smart CRM and other tools.

Think of HubSpot's platform as a highly organized digital filing cabinet for your entire business. Before HIPAA compliance, you might have had to keep your sensitive health data in a separate, secure system. Now, you can have all your customer data—including PHI—in one place.

You don’t need to switch between different systems to access patient information. Everything you need is at your fingertips in HubSpot's Smart CRM.

With a complete view of each patient's history and interactions, healthcare providers can offer more personalized and effective care. A CRM would also help reduce the workload of healthcare providers. Most businesses find that CRMs save their employees 5-10 hours weekly.

While always respecting privacy rules, businesses can use non-sensitive data to improve their marketing strategies and sales processes. When all relevant information is centralized and easily accessible, teams can also collaborate more effectively. 

3. Regulatory Compliance

Healthcare regulations can be complicated. HubSpot's HIPAA compliance relieves businesses of a significant burden by ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.

When using HubSpot's HIPAA-compliant platform, businesses can be confident that they're meeting the stringent requirements this U.S. law sets.  You avoid hefty penalties resulting from data breaches or mishandling of PHI. 

But the benefits don't stop at U.S. borders. HubSpot's commitment to data protection also aligns with other international standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

This is particularly valuable for businesses operating globally or handling data from international patients.

Regulatory compliance isn't just about avoiding fines—it's about building and maintaining trust. When patients know their sensitive health information is being handled in compliance with strict regulations, it fosters a sense of security and confidence in your business.

4. Simplified Admin Control

Managing access to sensitive health data can be a complex task, but HubSpot's HIPAA compliance features make it much more straightforward.

The platform provides centralized management tools that give super admins unprecedented control over who can access what information. It's like having a master control panel for your data security.

Here's how it works:

• Admins can set up different levels of access based on job roles. For example, a doctor might have full access to patient records, while a billing specialist might only see financial information.
• The system allows for fine-tuned control. You can restrict access not just to entire sections of the platform but to specific fields or types of data.
• Every action taken within the system can be logged and reviewed. This helps maintain accountability and can be crucial in the event of a security audit.
• As staff roles change or new team members join, admins can quickly update access permissions to ensure data remains secure.

These admin controls are not just about restricting access—they're about enabling the right people to do their jobs effectively while maintaining the highest standards of data protection. It's a balance of security and usability that's crucial in healthcare settings.

HubSpot helps businesses maintain HIPAA compliance without creating undue burdens on their IT teams or day-to-day operations.

HubSpot's HIPAA Compliance: A Significant Shift for Healthcare Tech

In the past, healthcare businesses struggled to make HubSpot work effectively for their needs. It felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. But that’s no longer the case—HubSpot now integrates with healthcare requirements. Compliance and efficiency is easier to achieve.

Why does this matter? First, patient data is now secured at an advanced level, providing peace of mind for healthcare providers. It also allows you to manage all your information in one place while remaining fully compliant with HIPAA regulations. 

Navigating compliance is now more straightforward, and controlling who has access to sensitive data has become much more manageable.

However, these new features are just tools. Their effectiveness depends on how well they are implemented and used. That’s where we step in.

Partner with Origin 63 to Optimize Your Healthcare Tech

At Origin 63, our support goes beyond setup; we work with you to ensure long-term success. We tailor HubSpot to your specific healthcare needs, recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in this industry.

We also provide comprehensive training to help your team become proficient in using HubSpot, and we continuously update you on the latest features and best practices. We want you to get the most out of your HubSpot investment, enhancing both security and efficiency.

If you’re ready to elevate your healthcare technology, contact Origin 63. We’re here to guide you through HubSpot’s HIPAA-compliant features!