Guides

The top 5 HIPAA email disclaimer examples

  • disclaimers
  • hipaa
  • compliance

22 October 2024

0 min read

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is crucial for healthcare providers, healthcare clearinghouses, and organizations transmitting health data electronically in the United States. If you handle personal healthcare data and communicate with patients via email, it's essential to use a compliant HIPAA email disclaimer.

Failing to include a HIPAA-compliant email disclaimer can result in severe penalties. The maximum fine can exceed $1.5 million per violation, and violations can lead to up to ten years in prison.

A HIPAA disclaimer for email is designed to inform patients and does not make a company fully HIPAA compliant. However, HIPAA requires your email disclaimer to communicate the following essential points:

  • The email being received is not completely secure.

  • The email content is confidential.

  • If the recipient is not the intended recipient, they should forward the email to the appropriate person.

  • Misusing personal information has consequences.

  • If the email is not meant for them, the recipient should delete it immediately.

To ensure your organization adheres to these guidelines and protects patient information, here are the top 5 HIPAA email disclaimer examples you can use. 

1. Basic HIPAA email disclaimer

Please note that this email may contain protected health information (PHI). Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this PHI is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email from your system. 

2. Comprehensive HIPAA email disclaimer

The information contained in this transmission may contain privileged and confidential information, including patient information protected by federal and state privacy laws. It is intended only for the use of the person(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution, or duplication of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

3. Confidentiality statement

WARNING: CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE – The information enclosed with this transmission are the private, confidential property of the sender, and the material is privileged communication intended solely for the individual indicated. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any other action relevant to the contents of this transmission are strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately at (xxx) xxx-xxxx or xxxx@xxxxxxx.com.

4. Email security and privacy statement

Please keep in mind that communications via email over the internet are not secure. Although it is unlikely, there is a possibility that information you include in an email can be intercepted and read by other parties besides the person to whom it is addressed. Please do not include personal identifying information such as your birth date, or personal medical information in any emails you send to us. No one can diagnose your condition from email or other written communications, and communication via our website cannot replace the relationship you have with a physician or another healthcare practitioner.

5. Confidential communication policy statement

Regulations require encrypted messaging systems for confidential communications. Since our e-mail/text communications are not encrypted, it is the policy of [PRACTICE NAME] not to use e-mail/text for sharing confidential information. We are sorry if this causes inconvenience for you in receiving information from us. Please call us at (xxx)xxx-xxxx. Further information about our practice can be found on our website at www.xxxxxxx.com.

Implementing a HIPAA email disclaimer with Exclaimer

So, you now realize what you need to include in a HIPAA email disclaimer. But how are you going to apply this across your whole organization? What’s to stop an employee from removing any important text or changing the font? 

Sure, you could use the native functionality of Office 365 (Microsoft 365), Google Workspace, or Microsoft Exchange. However, you’ll end up cluttering a recipient’s inbox with lots of disclaimer text. They’ll be much less likely to read the important information contained within your email. 

To overcome these limitations, you should use Exclaimer's email signature management solution. You can then ensure everyone has a suitable HIPAA email disclaimer that they can’t change. Even better, you’ll get peace of mind from managing everything within one centralized console. 

Learn more about Exclaimer or get yourself a free trial to see the power of email signature software for yourself.  

Frequently asked questions about how to create a HIPAA email disclaimer

Are there specific guidelines for what should be included in a HIPAA email disclaimer?

Yes, according to HIPAA regulations, a compliant disclaimer should include information about the security and confidentiality of the message's content, as well as consequences for misuse of personal information. 

Jump in to Exclaimer’s email signature solution

And find out how to ignite your email’s full potential

start an exclaimer free trial

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