Is Office 365 HIPAA Compliant?

TL;DR

• Office 365 Compatibility with HIPAA: As standard, Office 365 does not comply with HIPAA standards for safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Office 365 HIPAA Configuration: Office 365 and Microsoft settings can be configured to bring the service into compliance with the requirements of HIPAA.
• Business Associate Agreement (BAA): Microsoft will sign a BAA with covered entities, including healthcare organizations.
• Storing PHI in Office 365: Presents significant compliance and data leak risks. Office 365 settings must be configured correctly, at all times, and employees must be trained on proper data security and handling protocol.
• Potential for PHI Leakage: Due to Office 365 being a cloud-based file storage and sharing service, there is potential for data leaks. This ever-present risk underscores the importance of robust Data Loss Prevention (DLP) strategies.
• Strac Office 365 DLP: Offers scanning, detection, and redaction of sensitive data within Office 365 to ensure your use of the service remains compliant and secure.

Is Office 365 HIPAA Compliant?

In the healthcare industry, where patient confidentiality and data security are paramount, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient information.

Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based software, comprising productivity and collaboration services owned by Microsoft. As standard, Office 365 does not meet HIPAA compliance requirements, for the safe handling of Protected Health Information.

Healthcare organizations must ensure that Office 365 settings are correctly configured to meet HIPAA compliance. Microsoft and Office 365 offer various security features designed to protect sensitive data.

Will Microsoft Sign a BAA for Office 365?

To comply with HIPAA, business associates must have a Business Associate Agreement in place with all organizations that are classified as HIPAA-covered entities.

Yes — Microsoft is willing to sign a BAA with healthcare organizations that covers the use of Office 365. This agreement is crucial as it outlines Microsoft's responsibility in managing and protecting PHI, and enables Office 365 to be used in a HIPAA compliant way.

However, simply signing the BAA does not ensure compliance. Healthcare organizations must also ensure their use of Office 365 remains compliant. To remain compliant, healthcare organizations must configure Office 365’s settings, including applying strict access controls and sharing permissions. Employees must also be trained on data security and proper handling of sensitive data to prevent data leaks.

Can You Store PHI or Patient Data in Office 365?

Yes — it’s possible to store Protected Health Information in Office 365, but only when certain requirements are met.

Healthcare organizations using Office 365 to handle and store Protected Health Information must configure their Office 365 settings. This includes enabling security features designed to protect against unauthorized access and accidental data leaks. 

Furthermore, healthcare organizations must be on a Office 365 Enterprise plan and hold a signed BAA with Microsoft. Without meeting these requirements and ensuring Office 365 settings are configured correctly, you risk non-compliance with HIPAA.

Improper handling of sensitive data and protected information can open your organization up to significant regulatory and litigation risks.

Can PHI or Patient Data be Leaked from Office 365?

Considering Office 365’s wide usage and range of cloud-based services, without implementing additional security mechanisms, there will always be a risk of data leaks.

While Office 365 does offer extensive security features to protect against unauthorized access and data breaches, the service has inherent vulnerabilities. 

The potential for PHI leakage exists due to various factors, including user error, insufficient access controls, or even malicious insider threats. Your employees play a crucial role in ensuring internal data security when handling sensitive patient data.

The persistent threat of data leaks leads many healthcare organizations to adopt additional security mechanisms that not only ensure compliance, but effectively prevent data leaks.

How Can Strac Prevent Data Leaks from Office 365?

Strac Office 365 DLP is a comprehensive data leak prevention tool that adds an additional layer of security to Office 365. 

Strac DLP ensures your use of Office 365 remains compliant, efficient and secure at all times. Here's how:

• Built-in Compliance Templates: Regulatory Compliance: Strac's DLP solutions ensure adherence to compliance standards such as PCI, SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO-27001, CCPA, GDPR, and NIST.
• Instantaneous Email Redactions: Leverage real-time interventions by Strac's DLP, identifying and mitigating Office 365 data vulnerabilities as they arise.
• Effortless Integration: Incorporate Strac with Office 365 effortlessly, for consistent and fortified data safeguarding.
• AI Integration: Beyond standard SaaS, Cloud, and Endpoint protections, Strac seamlessly works with LLM APIs and AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot. Learn more with Strac's developer documentation.
• Detailed Control & Configuration: Customize your Office 365 safety protocols to your preferences. See Strac’s full catalog of sensitive data elements.
• Informed Usage Metrics & Insights: Understand your Office 365 usage nuances with Strac's comprehensive data evaluations and robust analytics prowess.

To learn how Strac adds an extra layer of security and helps organizations comply with HIPAA regulations, see our guide to HIPAA Compliance. 

Book a free 30-minute demo for more.