Health apps, wearable fitness trackers may trigger HIPAA, need for BAA

Why This Topic Matters

As patients increasingly share health information through personal devices and apps, providers need a clear understanding of when those tools fall within HIPAA-related obligations and when vendor relationships may require additional contractual safeguards.

Article Sections

1. Patients, providers use health apps

   Discusses the growing use of mobile health apps and wearable devices, along with the ways patients and clinicians interact with data from these tools.

2. Determine when HIPAA doesn’t apply

   Explains the general circumstances in which personal digital tools are described as outside HIPAA coverage and addresses direct-to-consumer use and patient-managed information flows.

3. Get a BAA when HIPAA applies

   Summarizes the article’s discussion of provider relationships with app vendors and when business associate arrangements may become relevant.

4. Review the rules for BAAs

   Covers broad considerations for business associate agreements, including protections for patient information and vendor safeguards discussed by conference speakers.