Wednesday , 8 January 2025
Health

Are the digital tracking technologies you use for your website and healthcare marketing practices fully compliant with HIPAA regulations and digital tracking standards? You might think so, but even “industry standards” like the Google Analytics (G4) and Meta pixels are not compliant.

To understand these issues better, I invite you to listen to my recent podcast guest, James Corr from Freshpaint, as he sheds light on critical issues most healthcare providers overlook. 

During our conversation James discusses the risks of using digital tracking technologies, the complexities of HIPAA compliance, and ongoing risks in light of recent OCR rulings.

Listen to the podcast:

Key Insights and Takeaways

  • Understand the significant HIPAA and privacy risks associated with using web tracking technologies like Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics on healthcare websites. These tools can access protected health information without proper safeguards.
  • Learn about the December 2022 HHS/OCR guidance warning that using web tracking technologies without proper business associate agreements (BAAs) poses a HIPAA compliance risk and how that led to confusion across the healthcare industry.
  • While the July 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) lawsuit which clarified that IP addresses are no longer considered protected identifiers under HIPAA in some limited circumstances, most risks outlined in the OCR’s guidance remain.
  • Consider adopting a cautious, conservative approach to web tracking and explore solutions like Freshpaint or others that enable the secure use of these tools while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
  • Stay informed about the evolving legal and regulatory landscape by doing your own due diligence and consulting specialized legal counsel.
“If there’s one thing I want you to walk away with here today, it’s this: if you are a covered entity and you have a Google advertising campaign and Meta and Google Analytics on your website, you are in a risky place as it relates to protected health information and sharing it with those third parties. If you don’t have a BAA with Google, Meta, or any other third party you’re sharing data with, it should be an immediately concern to you as a healthcare organization.”

James Corr

Here is a snapshot of key events involving OCR, HHS, and AHA legal issues regarding digital tracking technologies:

Disclaimer

The information provided in this podcast is not intended to and does not constitute legal advice. This podcast is only intended as an educational overview and may not include the most up-to-date legal information as provisions change regularly. To ensure your organization’s legal compliance, seek additional sources of information and consult expert legal counsel specializing in healthcare privacy and technology laws. I’ve included some educational articles and contact information for a few leading law firms to help you get started with your own due diligence.

Here are some additional resources you can explore.

If you need legal representation surrounding these specific HIPAA issues, the following are a few of the qualified attorneys we have spoken with or engaged.

Daniel Gottlieb, McDermott, Will & Emery

Anne Brendel, Goodwin Law

W. Clay Landa, McGuireWoods

I highly recommend listening to our podcast in its entirety for more in-depth coverage of the complexities of HIPAA compliance surrounding digital tracking technologies.

We invite you to subscribe to our blog and connect with us on LinkedIn: Stewart Gandolf and Healthcare Success.

Note: The following raw, AI-generated transcript is provided as an additional resource for those who prefer not to listen to the podcast recording. It has not been edited or reviewed for accuracy.

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