HelpCrunch logo Adding a live chat to your practice’s website can increase engagement with current and potential customers. However, the way you use these products must not violate HIPAA or put protected health information (PHI) in jeopardy.  Today let’s look at HelpCrunch for HIPAA compliance.

About HelpCrunch

HelpCrunch is a customer communication platform. Features include live chat for web and mobile applications, email marketing, marketing automation, and help desk.

 

HelpCrunch and business associate agreements

To stay HIPAA compliant, a covered entity and a business associate must sign a business associate agreement (BAA).  We did not find any information about BAAs on HelpCrunch’s website.

 

HelpCrunch and PHI

The safety of PHI is one of the most crucial parts of staying HIPAA compliant. Any type of information that can be used to identify a patient or is used during patient care is considered PHI.  There is no reference to PHI on HelpCrunch’s website.  In fact, according to its privacy policy, HelpCrunch collects personal information from its users and grants personal data access to third-parties.  Personal information can include names, time zone, operating systems, API tokens, emails, and billing information.  However, the company states that users have the “right to be forgotten” under certain instances and the right to restrict personal data processing. For full information on HelpCrunch’s Privacy Policy, click here . 

 

Conclusion

We found no information about HelpCrunch’s willingness to execute a BAA. Therefore, HelpCrunch is not HIPAA compliant.  Furthermore, those who choose to use HelpCrunch need to be conscious of the information shared on and with the platform as the company collects information about its users.

 

Using HelpCrunch in a HIPAA compliant manner

Healthcare providers might still consider adding a chatbot to their website as another way to communicate with patients, but they need to make sure they are not sharing any PHI on or with the platform.

 

Effortless communication with HIPAA compliant email

Providers who would like an easy, direct communication line to their patients should consider adding a HIPAA compliant email solution, like Paubox Email Suite , to their services.  With Paubox Email Suite, all outbound emails encrypt by default. Our solution integrates directly into your existing email platform (such a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace ). Paubox Email Suite requires no change to your email behavior.  Paubox Email Suite requires no passwords or patient email portals as all emails are delivered directly to your patient’s inbox.
 
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