Many healthcare services use WordPress, a popular website-building and hosting platform. With its arsenal of powerful plugins and user-friendly features, WordPress takes a top spot in its area of expertise.
The question is, is WordPress HIPAA compliant and secure to use for healthcare?
Let’s discuss WordPress HIPAA compliance in this article.
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Are WordPress Sites HIPAA Compliant?
No, WordPress is not HIPAA compliant. However, you can still use it in a way that complies with HIPAA. One of the requirements for business associates that handle ePHI is signing a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). However, WordPress does not mention the availability of BAAs on its site. Also, the platform doesn’t claim to comply with HIPAA, unlike Liquid Web, Microsoft Azure, or Amazon Web Services.
Nonetheless, you can still use it as a healthcare website host if you don’t allow it to handle ePHI. For instance, you can use it to create an informational blog or to market your products. But you can’t use the platform for tasks or processes involving appointment setting or medical record keeping.
Additionally, you can use the platform in a healthcare setting if you form a business associate agreement with WordPress plugins that handle ePHI. Some third-party developers offer WordPress HIPAA-compliant forms to build questionnaires, new client registrations, online bill payments, etc. You can use these plugins with your WordPress site, provided you store PHI separately and have a BAA with the developers.
Using WordPress in healthcare
Not all websites need to comply with the strict standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, if your website builder stores and accesses electronic protected health information (ePHI), then WordPress HIPAA compliance is necessary.
ePHI includes patient demographics, medical records, health insurance information, treatment plans, and any data about an individual’s health status. If you use your WordPress-hosted site to gather and transmit sensitive patient data like these, you must take careful steps to ensure HIPAA compliance.
Are WordPress Sites Private?
What security features does WordPress have?
WordPress may not be inherently HIPAA compliant, but it does offer several security features that can help safeguard PHI against breaches:
Strong encryption
The platform uses SSL to encrypt all WordPress sites and custom domains it hosts. Encryption cannot be disabled, and all insecure HTTP requests are redirected to secure HTTPS. Moreover, WordPress automatically installs an SSL certificate for your site, which encrypts the connection between your browser and server.
Monitoring of suspicious activities
WordPress employs firewalls and security protocols to ensure that all access to your website is authorized. The platform continuously checks web traffic and looks for potential vulnerabilities in its system. It also applies security measures against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
Backup and recovery
WordPress ensures your data remains safe in case of unexpected hardware failure, cyberattacks, and other untoward incidents. It backs up your data regularly for easy access and recovery.
While it’s laudable for WordPress to prioritize data security, it still lacks several elements for HIPAA compliance. If you check other HIPAA-compliant web hosting solutions, you’ll notice that they offer advanced security features and third-party auditing to ensure compliance.
Can a WordPress Site Be HIPAA Compliant?
Despite the challenges with WordPress compliance, there are ways to enable HIPAA-compliant WordPress hosting. You can employ other services like HIPAA Vault, which provides managed secure hosting for WordPress. Services like these configure and optimize WordPress for HIPAA compliance.
Also, as a website owner, you should ensure that all your processes comply with the federal law’s physical, technical, and administrative safeguards. Having a HIPAA-compliant website is essential, but other factors, such as conducting compliance training for your staff, installing physical security on your premises, and performing regular risk analysis, also play a huge part in ensuring compliance.
Do I need a privacy policy on my WordPress website?
While adding a privacy policy does not directly make WordPress HIPAA compliant, it is one step toward helping your website comply with compliance regulations.
A privacy policy can help protect your website legally, especially if you collect and process sensitive user data, such as protected health information.
HIPAA Compliant WordPress Hosting Services
As mentioned, one way to make WordPress HIPAA compliant is to choose a suitable hosting provider. Here are some HIPAA-compliant WordPress hosting services for your organization to consider:
- HIPAA Vault: Focuses on delivering HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions tailored for healthcare professionals and organizations.
- Convesio: Offers scalable WordPress hosting for organizations seeking to achieve HIPAA compliance.
- Rackspace: Provides services such as WordPress hosting that can be configured to support HIPAA compliance.
- Atlantic.net: A web hosting provider that offers HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions, including for platforms like WordPress.
- Amazon Web Services: AWS provides HIPAA compliant WordPress hosting provided that it meets specific compliance guidelines.
What is the best HIPAA hosting for WordPress?
Choosing the best HIPAA hosting for WordPress depends on several key factors, such as secure servers, encrypted connections, business associate agreements, and other security measures to safeguard PHI. It’s also best to consider the cost of HIPAA-compliant hosting.
HIPAA Vault is ideal for organizations with limited budgets as its annual plan only costs $84 per month. Conversion is best if you want a fully managed hosting solution, while LiquidWeb stands out for its security features, which include malware scanning and DDoS protection.
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iFax’s dedicated company fax page lets you receive and process faxes directly from your HIPAA compliant WordPress website. Showcase your branding with a customizable fax landing page secured with advanced security protocols.
It’s your one-stop solution for sending and receiving faxes online while meeting HIPAA requirements.
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