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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), has released guidance to HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates who use online tracking technologies in their work. This guidance focuses on tracking technologies that "collect and analyze information about how users interact with regulated entities' websites or mobile applications."
Therapists may encounter such technologies in their practice in several ways, such as using third-party cookies on their websites for advertising purposes. Covered entities are reminded that they may not use these types of tracking technologies in any manner that would result in "impermissible disclosures" of protected health information (PHI) or otherwise violate HIPAA requirements.
The OCR Guidance document is available here. If you are unsure whether your practice is subject to HIPAA, please consult CAMFT’s article Are You a Covered Entity?
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