Imagine a holistic nutritionist is on a telehealth call with a client. The client is describing unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms related to a suspected food intolerance they are trying to diagnose.

Suddenly, the practitioner realizes a third person who shouldn’t be there is listening in on the call. She promptly removes the unauthorized visitor, but not before her client notices.

This scenario isn’t just embarrassing for the client—it’s risky for the nutritionist because it violates HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations. If the nutritionist had used a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, this disruptive and potentially damaging moment could have been avoided.

The Privacy Rule under HIPAA requires the implementation of safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI). Violations can lead to severe penalties for covered healthcare providers — including fines and legal action.

The above situation is fictional, but the threat is real. That’s why choosing the right platform matters.

If you’re evaluating software to deliver secure, virtual care, this updated guide will help you navigate the most essential HIPAA-compliant telehealth features — including the latest Practice Better tools that support both compliance and growth.

Key takeaways

• HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms should include encryption, access controls, secure messaging, audit logging, and a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
• Practice Better offers built-in HIPAA-compliant features across telehealth, messaging, charting, billing, and automation.
• Teams and solo practitioners alike benefit from automation, documentation tools, and integrated client data sharing — all within a secure, PHI-protected ecosystem.

Essential features of HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms

There are a few non-negotiable features healthcare providers should insist on in their telehealth software:

1. End-to-end encryption

All PHI — video, audio, files, and messages — must be encrypted in transit and at rest.

Practice Better uses TLS 1.2 and AES 256-bit encryption to protect all client data, backups, and logs.

Explore our Trust Center

2. Access controls

Role-based access control (RBAC) ensures team members only access data relevant to their roles.

Practice Better also includes:

• Unique logins for each user
• Two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security

Learn why 2FA matters

3. Business associate agreement (BAA)

You must sign a BAA before transmitting ePHI through a platform.

Practice Better lets you sign your BAA directly from your practitioner portal.

How to obtain your BAA

4. HIPAA-compliant messaging

Practice Better includes:

• Secure client messaging and file sharing via the secure messaging feature
• Encrypted team messaging and internal communications
• Client tag-based document sharing (released in 2025)

5. Risk assessments and audit logging

Full audit trails show who accessed PHI, when, and what they did — essential for compliance and breach mitigation.

Practice Better logs user activity, file access, and allows you to restore deleted content or view version history.

Benefits of Using HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Services

• Serve clients across regions (be mindful of licensing laws)
• Offer flexible virtual follow-ups while maintaining privacy
• Reduce overhead by minimizing in-person infrastructure
• Build trust by ensuring client information is protected

Navigating HIPAA compliance as a wellness pro

A telehealth platform is only as HIPAA compliant as the team using it.

1. Understand the rules – Review HIPAA privacy, security, and breach notification rules.
2. Know what counts as PHI – Including names, medical records, dates, and more.
3. Get client consent – Use templates from Practice Better’s template library to stay compliant.
4. Train your team – Establish and document HIPAA policies internally.
5. Run risk assessments – Look beyond software. Are you using headphones during calls? Is your team trained on PHI access and disposal?
6. Stay informed – Rules vary by state. Review updates via HHS or professional associations.

New in 2025: what’s evolved

In the last year, Practice Better has released powerful new features to make HIPAA compliance easier, and your practice more efficient:

• Telehealth enhancements: Duration tracking, virtual backgrounds, and in-session documentation
• AI charting assistant: Let AI handle note summaries and dictation
• Template library: Pre-built forms including mental health assessments (PHQ-9, GAD-7, and more)
• Automations: Client onboarding flows, email verification, recurring forms/tasks
• Secure payments: Built-in processing with automated billing and insurance tools
• Automatic form builder: Generate forms with AI in second

The future of care with HIPAA compliant telehealth platforms

CMS and the AMA continue to push for broader telehealth reimbursement. As coverage expands, platforms that support secure, flexible virtual care will have a critical edge.

Practice Better is a complete HIPAA-compliant practice management software that includes:

• One-click telehealth appointments
• Screen sharing, real-time chat, in-session note access
• Secure charting, billing, scheduling, and messaging — all in one place

Watch the demo

{{free-trial-simple-text}}

HIPAA-compliant platforms help you build trust

Clients trust you with sensitive health data — and that trust depends on your systems.

By using a HIPAA-compliant platform like Practice Better, you show that client privacy and regulatory integrity are core to how you practice.

Explore our full HIPAA-compliant feature set

Frequently asked questions

Is Zoom HIPAA-compliant?

Only if you use Zoom for Healthcare and sign a BAA.

Is Google Meet HIPAA-compliant?

Yes, with Google Workspace for Healthcare, a signed BAA, and proper configuration.

Is Face ID HIPAA-compliant?

It can be, if paired with strong access controls and encryption.

Is Skype HIPAA-compliant?

No, unless using Skype for Business with enterprise licensing and configured settings.

Is Doxy.me HIPAA-compliant?

Yes.

Is Practice Better HIPAA-compliant?

Yes, fully. It’s an all-in-one practice management platform built with HIPAA compliance at the core.

Practice Better is trusted by thousands of health and wellness professionals. Join them and deliver secure, scalable virtual care. Streamline your practice and start your free trial today.

{{free-trial-simple-text}}