Healthcare / HIPAA Archives

July 8, 2026

What is considered protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA? A guide for healthcare marketers

Quick summary What PHI is: Any individually identifiable health information created, received, maintained, or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associates Who it applies to: Healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and their business associates Why it matters for marketing: Marketing tools that collect or transmit PHI without a BAA create HIPAA compliance…
Read more
July 2, 2026

We checked 59 hospital websites. 73% kept tracking visitors after opt-out.

A new study by Piwik PRO and Verified Data scanned 59 major US hospital and clinic websites for tracking and data compliance. The findings show just how common it is for major US healthcare websites to run marketing tools that weren’t built for a regulated environment. What we actually found Across the 59 scanned sites,…
Read more
July 2, 2026

HEALTHCARE WEBSITE TRACKING REPORT 2026: Are healthcare companies one audit away from a compliance crisis?

A research-backed analysis of tracking practices across 59 US healthcare websites – and what organizations should do about it.
Read more
June 3, 2026

What is PII, non-PII, and personal data? [Updated]

Personally identifiable information (PII) and personal data are two classifications of data that often confuse organizations that collect, store and analyze such data. Both terms cover common ground, classifying information that could reveal an individual’s identity directly or indirectly. PII is used in the US, but no specific legal document defines it. The legal system…
Read more
April 20, 2026

HIPAA-compliant analytics for healthcare systems: How hospital marketing teams can measure what matters

Patients now research symptoms, compare providers, and book appointments entirely online before ever contacting a hospital. Healthcare marketers need to adapt to digital-first patient journeys, run campaigns for numerous service lines, manage hospital marketing analytics across multiple locations, and prove ROI to administrators. For nonprofit hospitals, the picture is broader still — donation tracking is…
Read more
February 22, 2026

4 ways to make your analytics HIPAA-compliant: Implementation guide

Healthcare organizations have four main approaches to achieving HIPAA-compliant analytics. Each has different trade-offs in cost, technical complexity, and analytics capabilities. This guide compares all four implementation methods – from using Google Analytics with workarounds to deploying fully HIPAA-compliant analytics platforms – so you can choose the right approach for your organization’s needs and resources.
Read more
February 20, 2026

Is Google Analytics HIPAA-compliant?

If you use Google Analytics or similar software, you’re likely already optimizing your website to serve your customers better. But what about Google Analytics and HIPAA compliance? In short – if you’re a HIPAA-covered entity, using GA4 puts you at serious risk of a HIPAA breach. Google states that Google Analytics doesn’t satisfy HIPAA requirements. And…
Read more
February 17, 2026

HIPAA-compliant marketing & advertising: How to run compliant campaigns in healthcare

Healthcare organizations deal with tons of sensitive information concerning people’s health. It needs to be handled with proper care. In the US, safe parameters for using this kind of data in different contexts, including marketing, are set by HIPAA. Unfortunately, many companies are still unaware of the provisions of the law and the potential consequences…
Read more
February 15, 2026

PHI vs PII in HIPAA: Healthcare marketing compliance guide

Personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) may seem similar. However, there are critical distinctions between the two. While PII is a catch-all term for any information that can be associated with an individual, PHI applies specifically to HIPAA-covered entities dealing with identifiable patient information. Keeping HIPAA compliant and protecting patient information requires…
Read more
February 8, 2026

How can healthcare organizations benefit from using a customer data platform (CDP)

Note: This article references our Customer Data Platform, now called Data Activation. All HIPAA compliance features remain the same. Disclaimer: This blog post is not legal advice. Piwik PRO provides privacy-friendly analytics software, but does not provide legal consultancy. If you’d like to make sure you’re in compliance with HIPAA guidelines, we encourage you to…
Read more