Designed to provide one complete view of key contacts and interactions, Freshsales is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution that helps companies personalize engagement, simplify tasks, and sell faster. While the right CRM can go a long way in enhancing satisfaction and generating new business, it’s important for healthcare organizations to take HIPAA compliance into consideration. Let’s explore if Freshsales meets these requirements, what security protocols are in place, and why a HIPAA compliant email solution is critical to protect sensitive data at every angle.
Freshsales and business associate agreements
For a third-party vendor to be considered HIPAA compliant, a business associate agreement (BAA) must be signed by both parties. This document describes the obligations of the business associate to safeguard protected health information (PHI). Freshsales is one of several products offered by Freshworks. According to Freshworks’ commitment to HIPAA compliance, the company is willing to mutually execute a BAA for some of its solutions and Freshsales is included within the scope. Freshworks notes that the BAA’s validity is subject to the customer’s ongoing adherence to a list of security specifications. Additionally, the company states that they are not liable for usage of Freshsales’ custom email server feature and customers are “encouraged to independently configure this for their continued compliance with HIPAA.”
Freshsales and data security
Along with the BAA, data security is another crucial component of maintaining HIPAA compliance. Therefore, covered entities should assess the specific measures that a vendor is taking to protect PHI. Freshworks automatically has a robust set of safeguards built into its infrastructure such as two-factor authentication, malware protection, segregation of duties, and data sensors that deliver early detection of security incidents. The company has also established a mandatory Secured Operating Environment (SOE) for customers using Freshsales to process ePHI. These safety protocols include enabling transport layer security (TLS) for all emails, whitelisting IP addresses, hardening endpoint systems, and configuring advanced password policies. Covered entities can choose to further secure PHI on Freshsales by integrating the company’s third-party data masking app. This allows customers to conceal sensitive information in patient conversations.
Is Freshsales HIPAA compliant?
Yes, Freshsales can be made HIPAA compliant with a signed BAA. However, it is the organization’s responsibility to maintain the required specifications and make additional configurations as needed.
Boost protection with Paubox
The Freshsales platform might be designed to meet HIPAA requirements, but healthcare providers should also be keeping email security top-of-mind. Built to conveniently integrate with your current email platform such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, Paubox Email Suite enables HIPAA compliant email by default and automatically encrypts every outbound message. This means you don’t have to spend time deciding which emails to encrypt and your patients are able to receive your messages right in their inbox—no additional passwords or portals necessary. Paubox Email Suite’s Plus and Premium plan levels also include advanced inbound email security tools for additional protection from potential threats. Our patent-pending Zero Trust Email feature uses email AI to confirm that an email is legitimate, while ExecProtect quickly puts an end to display name spoofing attempts.