Important Note

This checklist is a guide and should be reviewed with legal and compliance experts specific to your organization.

HIPAA Website Compliance Checklist

A practical guide to building healthcare websites and digital experiences that comply with HIPAA privacy and security requirements.

Architecture & Infrastructure

Use HTTPS/SSL on all pages
Encrypt data in transit (TLS 1.2+)
Encrypt sensitive data at rest
Choose hosting with HIPAA BAA agreements
Implement access controls and authentication
Use strong password policies
Enable multi-factor authentication
Plan for disaster recovery and backups

Data Handling & Forms

Minimize data collection to necessity only
Never collect SSN unless absolutely required
Implement proper field validation
Create secure form handling
Set data retention limits
Plan secure data deletion procedures
Avoid storing sensitive data in logs
Use secure form submission (POST, not GET)

Privacy & Consent

Create clear privacy policy
Explain data collection practices
Describe how data is used
Explain HIPAA compliance measures
Get explicit consent for data collection
Document all vendor relationships
Maintain Business Associate Agreements (BAA)
Create patient rights documentation

Vendor & Integration Selection

Verify HIPAA BAA for all tools
Check analytics platforms for compliance
Vet email services and marketing tools
Review CRM and patient management systems
Verify payment processors are compliant
Document all vendor BAAs
Review vendor security practices
Plan vendor compliance monitoring

Access & Authentication

Implement role-based access control
Create audit logs for all data access
Set session timeouts
Plan user permission levels
Implement password reset procedures
Create account lockout policies
Document who can access what
Plan for staff offboarding

Testing & Documentation

Conduct security testing
Perform penetration testing
Test form data handling
Create security documentation
Document compliance measures
Create staff training procedures
Plan regular compliance reviews
Test disaster recovery plan

Need HIPAA-Aware Healthcare Build?

We build websites, patient portals, and healthcare applications designed with privacy-conscious data handling, secure vendors, and compliance-aware decisions. Let's discuss your specific requirements.

Start a HIPAA Project