Using HIPAA compliant email to educate on cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 1 in every 3 deaths. According to the American Heart Association, in 2022, coronary heart disease (CHD) was the leading contributor, responsible for 39.5% of all CVD-related deaths, followed by stroke (17.6%), hypertensive diseases (14.0%), heart failure (9.3%), and diseases of the arteries (2.6%). These statistics illustrate a growing need for more effective, proactive, and widespread patient education.

As CVD risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, and physical inactivity become increasingly prevalent, healthcare providers must use all available tools to educate patients and promote heart-healthy behaviors. One effective method is through secure, HIPAA compliant email communication. 

HIPAA compliant email communication allows providers to share personalized, relevant, and timely information, while safeguarding patient privacy. By leveraging this digital tool, providers can bridge gaps in awareness, support chronic disease management, and ultimately improve cardiovascular outcomes across diverse patient populations.

Why is cardiovascular health education important?

Despite advancements in treatment and diagnostics, many cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, are preventable. Education plays a key role in equipping patients with the knowledge and motivation to make healthier lifestyle choices and adhere to medical advice.

Goals of cardiovascular education

• Promoting awareness of risk factors like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking.
• Encouraging lifestyle changes such as exercise, healthy eating, and stress reduction.
• Reinforcing medication adherence and routine check-ups.
• Guiding high-risk populations toward early screening and intervention.

Despite providers’ best efforts, traditional in-person education often isn’t enough to promote lasting cardiovascular health improvements. Some barriers that contribute to this challenge:

• Limited appointment time: Most primary care visits last only 18 minutes, leaving little time to cover complex lifestyle changes, prevention strategies, or medication instructions.
• Health literacy gaps: Around 90% of U.S. adults have difficulty understanding and using health information, making it hard to retain verbal guidance during brief consultations.
• Inconsistent follow-up: Without structured follow-up after appointments, many patients struggle to adhere to treatment plans or remember what was discussed.

See also: Using email to reduce information overload during appointments

Why use HIPAA compliant email?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets strict standards for protecting protected health information (PHI), including anything that can be used to identify a patient. Regular email providers like Gmail or Yahoo do not meet these standards on their own. “The Privacy Rule allows covered health care providers to communicate electronically, such as through e-mail, with their patients, provided they apply reasonable safeguards when doing so,” says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HIPAA compliant email platforms:

• Encrypt messages in transit and at rest.
• Provide secure authentication for senders and recipients.
• Include audit trails and logs for accountability.
• Offer business associate agreements (BAAs) to meet compliance requirements.

How HIPAA compliant email improves heart health education

Here are several ways that HIPAA compliant email can drive meaningful cardiovascular health engagement:

Personalized education and reminders

HIPAA compliant email allows for personalized messages that address each patient's unique risk factors, medications, or health goals. For example:

• A patient with high cholesterol can receive weekly nutrition tips.
• A diabetic patient might get reminders about foot care and blood pressure control.
• Someone recovering from heart surgery may be sent rehab exercises or follow-up instructions.

Such personalization fosters a sense of connection and relevance that improves patient engagement and outcomes.

Medication adherence support

According to the CDC, “approximately one in five new prescriptions are never filled, and among those filled, approximately 50% are taken incorrectly, particularly with regard to timing, dosage, frequency, and duration.” 

Educational emails can include:

• Timely refill reminders.
• Instructions on when and how to take medications.
• Information about side effects and what to expect.
• Links to resources about drug interactions and lifestyle considerations.

This support helps reduce hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and complications.

Read also: HIPAA compliant email for treatment adherence

Lifestyle coaching and behavioral nudges

According to the study Lifestyle Strategies for Risk Factor Reduction, Prevention, and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, lifestyle changes are important in preventing CVDs, as many risk factors for CVDs can be altered through these lifestyle adjustments. By adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular exercise, quitting smoking, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight, individuals directly address these modifiable risks. As such, improvements tackle the root causes of CVDs head-on; they significantly lower an individual's chances of developing such conditions. The study also notes that “The American Heart Association estimates that only 5% of individuals follow all of these lifestyle factors as components of a strategy to achieve “ideal” cardiovascular health.”

Email can serve as a low-cost, consistent form of lifestyle coaching. For example:

• Motivational messages for exercise and activity.
• Weekly heart-healthy recipes.
• Stress management techniques, like meditation or breathing exercises.

These messages act as gentle nudges to help patients stay on track and feel supported in their journey.

Promoting screening and check-ups

Routine check-ups, blood pressure monitoring, and cholesterol tests are vital for early detection and prevention. The study The Association Between the Frequency of Annual Health Checks Participation and the Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors, found that “A higher frequency of annual health check participation was associated with lower [cardiovascular risk factors] SBP, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol.” With HIPAA compliant email, practices can:

• Notify patients when it’s time for screenings.
• Send pre-visit instructions or reminders.
• Share post-screening follow-up details securely.
• Schedule appointments through patient portals.

See also: Are preventive health screening email notices effective?

Reaching underserved populations

Many underserved communities face barriers such as limited transportation, fewer healthcare providers, or work schedules that prevent frequent in-person visits. HIPAA compliant email:

• Delivers education directly to a patient’s inbox, no travel required.
• Supports multilingual content to reach non-English speakers.
• Can include videos, infographics, and voice messages for low-literacy patients.
• Reduces the digital divide when combined with mobile optimization.

In this way, email bridges educational gaps and improves health equity.

Related: How HIPAA compliant email can improve healthcare access for rural patients

HIPAA compliant email platforms: Why Paubox stands out

One of the most trusted platforms for secure healthcare email is Paubox, a HIPAA compliant email encryption solution built specifically for the medical industry. Unlike traditional encrypted email systems that require portals or additional logins, Paubox allows for seamless, secure communication directly to the patient’s inbox, no password required.

Features of Paubox

• Seamless and automatic encryption with no special action needed by patients.
• Integration with existing email platforms like Outlook and G Suite.
• Analytics and tracking tools to monitor open rates and engagement.
• Marketing tools to send email campaigns that are both compliant and customizable.

Healthcare organizations using Paubox have reported open rates nearly 70% higher than the industry average, thanks to the simplicity and security of the system. For cardiovascular education campaigns, this means messages are more likely to be seen and read.

Read also: 

• Are educational email campaigns part of marketing?
• HIPAA compliant email marketing: What you need to know

Best practices for using HIPAA compliant email for heart health education

To maximize impact and remain compliant, consider these best practices:

• Segment your audience: Send tailored content based on demographics, conditions, or health goals. A 60-year-old heart surgery patient will have different needs than a 30-year-old with high blood pressure.
• Balance frequency and value: Avoid overwhelming patients with too many messages. A weekly or biweekly schedule with high-value content, like infographics, recipes, or appointment reminders, is ideal.
• Design for mobile: Use mobile-friendly templates with concise text, clear visuals, and easy-to-click buttons.
• Include clear calls to action: Encourage specific actions, such as:
  • “Schedule your next cholesterol test.”
  • “Watch this 2-minute video on stroke warning signs.”
  • “Download your heart-healthy meal plan.”
• Respect opt-out requests: Even HIPAA compliant platforms are required to allow patients to opt out of marketing messages. Always honor preferences and explain how to unsubscribe.
• Monitor and improve: Use analytics tools to track open rates, click-throughs, and bounce rates. Refine content over time based on what works best.

Learn more: Best practices for HIPAA compliant email marketing

FAQS

Who benefits most from this type of communication?

All patients can benefit, but especially:

• Those managing chronic heart conditions
• Individuals in underserved communities
• Patients with limited mobility or busy schedules
• People at high risk for CVD
  
  

Is sending health tips considered a HIPAA violation?

General health tips can be sent broadly, but when those messages include or imply details about a patient’s condition or care, they must be sent using HIPAA-compliant methods to avoid violating privacy laws.