Email Security in Healthcare

Email Security for Healthcare

Healthcare organizations have faced pressure in recent years to secure their patient's protected health information (PHI), which includes medical histories, test results, mental health information, and demographic and insurance information.

The sensitive nature of this data causes its confidential handling to protect patient privacy. Because it is so valuable, it’s a prime target for cybercriminals, who can sell the PHI on the dark web or attempt to jeopardize it in ransomware attacks. Not only can this compromise the financial security of affected patients, but it can also lead to delays in their treatment because of a lack of medical records on file.

As attackers find increasingly sophisticated ways to steal confidential information, healthcare organizations must be vigilant in deploying the correct preventive security measures to protect that data. Encryption is one such measure. Encryption ensures that even if a cybercriminal can access email records containing sensitive information, they won’t be able to decipher the data within those records

Are you interested in learning more about Trustifi's fully integrated features embedded within a central email security software platform, CRM tools, support for integrations with Microsoft M365 Outlook and Google Gmail, and its award-winning email tracking, postmark proofing, and notification tools for free?

The Key Challenges Facing Healthcare Providers

The 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires all covered entities (health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers) in the United States to protect electronic PHI at rest, in storage, and transit. HIPAA compliance requires organizations to encrypt emails sent externally—beyond firewalls—such as when healthcare providers exchange medical information with insurance companies.

Failure to secure electronic PHI properly could result in a $151 to $2,000,000 fine per violation. An encryption solution will not only help ensure the security of your patient’s data but could also be a preventative measure that saves your organization from enormous financial pressure.

Implementing an encryption service, however, isn’t enough to ensure HIPAA compliance. You need to ensure you’ve configured the service properly and, recently, the encryption service. To correct this, there are a few things you should consider:

1. Ensure that your encryption provider signs a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) before you use their service to send any emails containing PHI. This agreement outlines the responsibilities of both you and the provider regarding ensuring the confidentiality of your patient’s PHI.
2. You must acquire written consent from your patients before sending any PHI via email, even if you’re using a HIPAA-compliant email provider. Before patients agree to have their information sent via email, you need to advise them of the associated risks—only after they’ve declared they’re willing to accept these risks can you send PHI via email.
3. Store all PHI emails in a secure archive, including all documentation related to your encryption use. The retention period for this information is usually six years, but it can vary from state to state, so be sure to check your state laws on email archiving for HIPAA compliance.
4. You need to configure your encryption service to use end-to-end encryption. This type of encryption uses a public key architecture to secure data at rest and in transit. The sender uses a public key to encrypt the email, and the recipient uses a private key, known only to them, to decrypt it. This security function ensures the recipient can access the information in an encrypted email—not even the encryption service provider.

How Trustifi Protects Healthcare in Three Steps

Trustifi is a market-leading encryption provider that helps organizations secure their email content via powerful AES 256-bit end-to-end encryption. Trustifi’s solution is simple to deploy and use for senders and recipients, enabling “one-click HIPAA compliance. Here’s how:

1. With just one click, send secure, HIPAA-compliant encrypted emails from within your regular email client to any recipient—even if they aren’t using Trustifi. Employ advanced features like certifiable proof of delivery, message recall and modification, and message expiry dates to monitor email receipt, opening, and reading. Leverage two-factor authentication for an added layer of security between a potential attacker and your data.
2. Use Trustifi’s 1-Click Compliance™ feature to eliminate the complexities of maintaining and proving compliance with your regulatory bodies while ensuring your data remains secure. Select which standards and data loss prevention policies you must comply with, and Trustifi’s AI engine will scan all outbound emails for sensitive content and encrypt them automatically. Clicking a button makes audits more efficient and mitigates human error. Compliance has never been easier.
3. Many encryption services fail, making sending and receiving emails too complicated for end-users. However, for a solution to be effective, everyone has to use it properly. With Trustifi, users can send emails with the click of a button, and recipients can open them quickly without having to log into an external portal or create an account. Enter your SMS authentication code, email PIN, or shared password, and you can read the message in your inbox.

Key Features Embedded Within Our Platform

Why Choose Trustifi?

Protect Against Data Breaches

Trustifi offers protection against the most prevalent and dangerous email threats currently targeting healthcare organizations, including social engineering, ransomware, and account compromise. These attacks can be devastating for your organization’s infrastructure, reputation, finances, and the personal safety of your patients.

Trustifi’s AI engine scans all inbound emails for anomalous or malicious content, such as phishing links and malware attachments, and removes threats before they reach their target. With Trustifi, you can also create blacklists of known threat actors to prevent repeat attacks. Create allowlists of trusted senders to reduce false positives and ensure your staff can access critical information when needed.

Stay Compliant

Trustifi’s 1-Click Compliance™ feature allows you to secure your PHI data in line with HIPAA standards with a click of a button. Choose which standard you must comply with and sit back as Trustifi’s AI engine automatically encrypts any emails containing sensitive information—even if a staff member forgets to encrypt it themselves.

Half of the challenge of being compliant is in complying itself. The other half is in proving that you’re compliant. Leverage Trustifi’s tracking features to track the delivery of encrypted emails and confirm that you’re using encryption to secure sensitive data and make your audits much more manageable.

Maintain Control

Trustifi provides total email protection. Powerful AI engines scan inbound emails for malicious content in real-time, protecting organizations from spam, malware, viruses, phishing, business email compromise, and ransomware. Protection extends to the email inbox, with real-time threat scanning of links and attachments even after email delivery. Secure AES 256-bit NSA-grade encryption protects outbound messages, ensuring sensitive data and attachments remain safe from malicious threat actors.

Easy-to-Use Encryption and End User Control

Using Trustifi, staff can send securely encrypted emails with the click of a button. Just as quickly, recipients can open them—even if they don’t have Trustifi. For an additional layer of security between potential attackers and your sensitive data, you can request that recipients verify their identities via MFA. Here, they simply enter their custom password or scan a fingerprint, and they can access the message.

Trustifi is user-friendly and easy for administrators to set up and manage. Quickly configure 1-Click Compliance™ and DLP policies to encrypt all sensitive email content automatically, so you won’t have to worry about your users remembering to do so. Allow our AI Engine to scan your inbound emails for malicious content and automatically remediate any threats.

Comprehensive Protection for Your Practice

Healthcare is the most targeted industry for cyberattacks. You need a solution that protects both what comes in and what goes out.

Inbound Shield

Stop malware, ransomware, and sophisticated spoofing attempts. Our AI analyzes the context of every email to keep your staff focused on care, not suspicious links.

Outbound Protection

Prevent data leaks with granular controls. Whether it’s social security numbers or medical records, Trustifi automatically detects sensitive data and applies encryption instantly.

Great For...

Trustifi is designed to fit seamlessly into various medical environments, ensuring that security never slows down the speed of care.

• Private Practices & Clinics: Get enterprise-level security without the need for a massive IT department.
• Telehealth Providers: Ensure every digital interaction remains private and compliant across state lines.
• Managed Service Providers (MSPs): A perfect, easy-to-deploy platform for managing multiple healthcare clients through a single pane of glass.
• Medical Billing & Labs: Secure the high-volume exchange of sensitive financial and diagnostic data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Trustifi ensure HIPAA compliance?

Trustifi uses AES-256-bit encryption and provides a full audit trail. Features like "One-Click" encryption and automated data loss prevention (DLP) ensure that Protected Health Information (PHI) is always handled according to federal standards.

Do my patients need to download an app to read encrypted emails?

No. Unlike older systems, Trustifi allows patients to open and reply to secure emails directly from their existing inbox. There are no portals to join and no passwords for them to remember.

Does this work with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?

Yes. Trustifi integrates seamlessly with major cloud providers, enhancing their native security with our AI-powered threat detection and advanced encryption layers.

What happens if I send a secure email to the wrong person?

Trustifi gives you the power to "Recall" or "Expire" an email even after it has been opened, allowing you to maintain control over patient data at all times.