Is Mailchimp HIPAA compliant?

Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform that helps you manage and talk to your clients, customers, and other interested parties. Its approach to marketing focuses on healthy contact management practices, beautifully designed campaigns, and powerful data analysis. The platform is used to send marketing emails, automated messages, and targeted campaigns.

Screenshot of Mailchimp showing all campaigns

Mailchimp in healthcare

In a healthcare setting, Mailchimp can be utilized for various non-sensitive communication and marketing efforts. For example, healthcare providers can use Mailchimp to send newsletters, updates, or general health and wellness information to a broad audience without including any Protected Health Information (PHI). The platform's automation and segmentation capabilities enable healthcare organizations to target specific groups, like community members interested in particular health topics, or patients who have attended specific wellness events. It's also an effective tool for event registration and feedback collection, provided it does not involve PHI. While Mailchimp offers robust capabilities for communication and engagement, care must be taken to ensure that it is used strictly for non-sensitive purposes to avoid any potential HIPAA violations.

Mailchimp and HIPAA compliance

Mailchimp acknowledges the importance of health data privacy; however, it does not consider itself a 'Business Associate' under HIPAA, and thus does not sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). This makes Mailchimp not a suitable option for sending emails containing Protected Health Information (PHI). Healthcare providers should not use Mailchimp for sending any communication that includes PHI. More details can be found in Mailchimp’s legal policies.

Staying HIPAA Compliant

Take a look at our ultimate guide to HIPAA compliant software and services for help selecting compliant service providers. Though careful vendor evaluation and selection is only one piece of the puzzle for maintaining HIPAA compliance. At TeachMeHIPAA, we offer an affordable HIPAA training solution to ensure your staff are knowledgeable in how to comply, and to help you meet your legally mandated HIPAA training requirement with ease. Learn more about our tips and tricks for maintaining compliance with our HIPAA compliance blog.