Email is one of the most common forms of communication in a healthcare provider’s office, with staff members exchanging sensitive information such as patient records, insurance details, and payment information. Unfortunately, email is also one of the most vulnerable channels for cyberattacks. This is where email encryption comes in. Email encryption is vital to your chiropractic practice; it provides an additional layer of security to ensure that the sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of email encryption for the chiropractic office and share some examples of what encryption is supposed to prevent.

First, let’s take a look at what email encryption actually means. Encryption is the process of converting plain text into a code, which can only be deciphered with a decryption key. Email encryption involves the use of encryption algorithms to scramble the contents of an email message before it is sent, making it impossible for unauthorized individuals to read the email without the appropriate decryption key. In other words, email encryption ensures that only the intended recipient can read the email message.

Now, let’s talk about why email encryption is so important for your office. The main reason is that healthcare information is highly sensitive, and unauthorized access to this information can result in serious consequences for patients, healthcare providers, and the organization itself. For example, patient records can be used to commit identity theft, resulting in financial loss, inaccurate health records, and even wrongful treatment. Email encryption helps prevent these types of cyberattacks by ensuring that only authorized recipients can access the sensitive information.

Now, let’s take a look at some examples of what email encryption is supposed to prevent.

• Your office manager accidentally sends an email with the subject line “Important patient info” to the wrong person. Instead of sending it to the office’s billing department, she sends it to her best friend who happens to have the same first name. The email contains information about a patient’s upcoming re-exam and their insurance details. Oops! With email encryption, this embarrassing mistake, and HIPAA violation, could have been avoided.
• A hacker gains access to your office email system and starts sending emails pretending to be from the doctor, asking staff members to send over sensitive information to a personal email account. One staff member falls for the scam and sends over a spreadsheet containing patient social security numbers and payment information. With email encryption, the hacker would not have been able to access the sensitive information, even if they gained access to the email system. And let’s not forget, with multi-factor authentication, the hacker could not access the email account in the first place.
• A staff member accidentally sends an email containing a patient’s records to the wrong recipient. The patient’s personal and health information is now in the hands of an unauthorized individual, causing serious harm to the patient’s privacy and mental health. With email encryption, this type of mistake could have been prevented, ensuring that the patient’s sensitive information is only accessible to authorized recipients no matter to whom it is sent.

In conclusion, email encryption is a vital component of cybersecurity for your chiropractic practice. It helps protect sensitive information from cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and accidental disclosure. By using email encryption, you can ensure that patient information is protected and secure, compliant with HIPAA and HITECH,  allowing you to focus on providing high-quality care to your patients. Contact us if you want more information on how to implement email encryption for your practice.