Is Google Forms HIPAA Compliant: Safeguard Patient Data

Is Google Forms HIPAA compliant? I’m sure, if you’re in the healthcare industry, this question might have popped up at least once in your mind. HIPAA sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data.

But how does Google Forms do it? How do they measure up to these requirements?

(Oh, I have also added a detailed table comparing Google Forms with an Alternative to help you review your choice.

• SurveySparrow vs Google Forms )

It’s time to find out!

Let’s start with addressing the elephant in the room…

Is Google Forms HIPAA Compliant?

I would say it’s a conditional yes. Google Forms can be HIPAA compliant if certain conditions are met.

So, what are these conditions? 

You must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Google to ensure compliance. Plus, the platform must be configured for compliant use.

What’s a BAA?
A business Associate Agreement is a contract between a covered entity (for instance, a healthcare provider) and a business associate (here, Google) that takes care of the use of a patient’s PHI (Protected Health Information)

Though it states that Google Forms is HIPAA compliant, the free version does not provide the features. You have to sign into your business account with paid features. Anybody who refuses to sign the BAA is not allowed to proceed.

What Does it Mean to be HIPAA Compliant?

What’s HIPAA?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed in 1996 to safeguard patient’s protected health information. It includes various clauses that organizations must implement when dealing with sensitive healthcare data—violation of any can lead to hefty fines and reputational damage. 

When a form builder is labeled as HIPAA compliant, it means that it adheres to certain requirements.

Here is a list of reasons why it is important to choose a HIPAA compliant form builder:

• Data Encryption: When someone fills out a form online, their information is scrambled so that only authorized people can read it. It’s like putting your data in a locked box before sending it over the internet.
• Secure Storage: These hosting environments have top-notch security measures to make sure nobody can sneak in and access the data without permission.
• Access Controls: Access to the form builder and the data it collects is tightly controlled. Not just anyone can walk in! Only people who are supposed to see or work with the information can get access.
• Audit Trails: Compliant form builders track who’s doing what with the data. They create detailed logs that show every action taken, like when a form was filled out, changed, or looked at. You don’t want anything fishy happening to the data. 
• Business Associate Agreement (BAA): When a form builder offers a BAA, it’s like signing a contract. This contract says that the form builder promises to keep patient information safe and follow all the rules laid out in HIPAA.

How to Make Google Forms HIPAA Compliant

Now, even though there might be limitations, Google Forms has a way to store PHI securely.

Let’s look at the process in detail.

Step 1: Subscribe to a Google Workspace Plan

You must choose a suitable workspace plan that complies with all the security measures you need. Yes, all the business plans adhere to HIPAA regulations. But are they entirely secure?

For instance, Data Loss Prevention and S/MIME encryption are available only in the Enterprise Plan. These are extremely important when dealing with sensitive data.

So, choose wisely only after thoroughly going through their pricing page.

(Oh hey, if you already have an account, you can skip directly to Step 3)

Step 2: Configure

To secure the forms, you need to toggle the settings manually.

• Access security settings
• Enable encryption, set access controls, and user authentications. Not just toggle them. You need to keep track of and review security measures regularly.

Step 3: Sign Google’s BAA

You need to agree to Google’s Business Associate Agreement. If you decline…well, that’s not even an option. If you want to make Google Forms HIPAA compliant, you must sign the agreement.

Once that’s done, you need to keep track of the security measures regularly and ensure they are met.

Importance of HIPAA Compliant Form Builders

Yes, it might not seem very exciting, but it is important to keep your patient’s data safe and secure from breaches.

Did You Know?
In 2021, about 50 million people had their healthcare data exposed in breaches, making up 15% of the US population. On average, each breach involved around 74,000 compromised records.

With a survey tool that complies with all the measures, you can:

• Keep the patient data safe
• Stay out of trouble
• Avoid data disasters like hacking and snooping
• Build trust

And, most importantly, it saves time and money! But only if you invest in the right tool. Yes, Google Forms might be enticing, but is it enough for you?

In case you’re planning to survey your patients, here is the list of tools you need to consider:

Read More: Top 10 HIPAA Compliant Survey Tools

If you need an alternative, let me simplify things by introducing you to SurveySparrow!

Create HIPAA Compliant Forms with SurveySparrow

Why don’t we start with a quick comparison?

Here are key security features provided by SurveySparrow:

Table of Comparison

Feature	SurveySparrow	Google Forms
Data Encryption	✔️	❌ (manual enable)
Secure Storage	✔️	✔️ (Cloud Storage)
Access Controls	✔️	✔️ (manual)
Audit Logs	✔️	❌
Custom NDA	✔️	❌
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)	✔️	❌
IP Whitelisting	✔️	❌
WCAG Compliance	✔️	❌
CCPA Compliance	✔️	❌

SurveySparrow is built with HIPAA compliance in mind.

Your patient’s PHI is safe both in transit and at rest with features like encryption, access controls, and comprehensive audit trails. The platform takes care of security in the backend by allowing you to concentrate on crafting engaging surveys.

Oh, why don’t we talk about some of the other features?

• Conversational Forms: With the Conversational UI, you can make the surveys look like a friendly chat rather than monotonous data collection.

Here’s a sample survey template to give you an idea. (Feel free to use and customize it the way you like!)

• Multi-Channel Distribution: Reach people wherever they hang out – send surveys via email, social media, or even embed them on your website.
• Skip and Display Logic: with conditional logic, you can personalize the survey experience based on how people answer, making it more relevant to them.
• AI Surveys: Use artificial intelligence to create super engaging surveys. The wing feature will let you edit the pre-populated questions to your liking. Plus, the ChatGPT plugin makes everything easier!
• Templates Galore: Save time with ready-to-go survey templates for various situations and industries. And guess what? There are over 1000 to choose from!

Why don’t you give it a try? Sign up today for a 14-day free trial.

Wrap Up!

Did you get the answer you were looking for?

Before you go, I need you to inscribe one thing in your mind. Do not ever compromise on data security. This is even more crucial when you are entrusted with confidential patient information.

Patiently consider the pros and cons, analyze the features, and then commit to a HIPAA-compliant form builder. Also, make sure you choose the one that builds trust between the provider (you) and the patients.

Happy Exploring!