Over my two decades as president at INVID, I’ve personally seen firsthand how challenging it can be for organizations to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of regulations like HIPAA while maintaining efficient workflows. The increasing reliance on cloud-based solutions like SharePoint makes ensuring HIPAA compliance within these collaborative environments more critical than ever. That’s why I want to share our perspective and my own experience on achieving SharePoint HIPAA compliance in 2025.

The Evolving Landscape of HIPAA and SharePoint

HIPAA compliance isn’t a one-time achievement; it’s an ongoing process. As technology advances and regulations adapt, organizations must constantly reassess their strategies. In 2025, with increasing reliance on cloud-based solutions like SharePoint, ensuring HIPAA compliance within this collaborative environment is more critical than ever.

Why SharePoint for Healthcare – and the HIPAA Challenge

SharePoint offers incredible benefits for healthcare organizations: streamlined document management, enhanced collaboration, and improved workflows. Even more, SharePoint is often a service that clients already pay for as part of their Microsoft 365 subscription, making it ideal and cost-effective for clients who are already familiar with the Microsoft Suite. However, handling Protected Health Information (PHI) within SharePoint requires careful configuration and adherence to HIPAA regulations.

INVID’s Approach to SharePoint HIPAA Compliance

Over the years, we’ve guided numerous healthcare clients through the process of achieving and maintaining HIPAA compliance within their SharePoint environments. Our approach, which I’ve been intimately involved in shaping, is rooted in practical experience and a deep understanding of both HIPAA regulations and SharePoint’s capabilities.

Key Considerations for SharePoint HIPAA Compliance in 2025

• Access Controls and Authentication: This is paramount. We implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to verify user identities and granular permission settings to restrict access to PHI based on the principle of least privilege. We leverage Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) for robust identity management and conditional access policies. This allows us to implement context-based access controls, such as blocking access from untrusted devices or locations.
• Audit Logging and Monitoring: HIPAA mandates comprehensive audit trails. We configure SharePoint to log all access and modifications to PHI, including who accessed what, when, and from where. This detailed audit trail is essential for demonstrating compliance during audits and investigating potential breaches. We integrate these logs with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems for real-time monitoring and threat detection.
• Data Encryption: Protecting PHI at rest and in transit is crucial. We ensure that all data within SharePoint is encrypted using industry-standard encryption protocols. This includes encrypting data stored in SharePoint libraries and encrypting data transmitted between users and the SharePoint server.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Implementing DLP policies within SharePoint is essential to prevent accidental or intentional disclosure of PHI. We configure DLP rules to identify and block sensitive information from being shared outside authorized channels. For instance, we set rules to prevent users from emailing PHI to external addresses or saving it to unauthorized cloud storage locations.
• Retention and Disposal Policies: HIPAA requires organizations to establish policies for retaining and disposing of PHI. We configure SharePoint’s information management policies to automate the retention and deletion of PHI based on pre-defined schedules. This ensures compliance with HIPAA’s record retention requirements and reduces the risk of data breaches.
• Business Associate Agreements (BAAs): Any third-party vendor that handles PHI on behalf of a covered entity must have a BAA in place. This includes Microsoft as the provider of SharePoint Online.⁹ I always advise our clients to carefully review and execute BAAs with all relevant vendors.
• User Training: Even with the most robust technical safeguards, user error can still lead to HIPAA violations.¹⁰ I emphasize the importance of comprehensive user training to educate employees on HIPAA regulations and best practices for handling PHI within SharePoint.

A Real-World Example: Transforming Internal Communications and Compliance for Triple-S Group

Triple-S Group, a prominent coordinated healthcare company with a long history dating back to 1959 and a presence in the US Virgin Islands and Costa Rica, faced significant challenges with their internal information management. They struggled with multiple portals and products sharing the same information, leading to data duplication, complex maintenance, and a lack of consistent content updates. This fragmented system hindered effective communication and delayed internal and external processes.

Recognizing these inefficiencies, Triple-S Group partnered with INVID to implement a centralized SharePoint-based intranet solution. We leveraged one of our SharePoint templates to rapidly deploy a responsive, personalized, and modern intranet portal. This new platform served as a central repository for crucial organizational information, including policies, newsletters, forms, announcements, and more. Importantly, it also provided a secure and centralized location for legal and compliance documentation, ensuring employees had easy access to the information they needed to adhere to regulations.

In my opinion, this case study demonstrates the power of SharePoint in not only improving internal communications but also strengthening compliance efforts. By centralizing information and providing a secure platform for sensitive data, we were able to address Triple-S Group’s core concerns. The rapid adoption rate (94% unique visitors in the first month) and the significant reduction in maintenance time (almost 90%) highlight the effectiveness of our solution. This case underscores the importance of a well-planned SharePoint implementation in achieving both operational efficiency and compliance.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As SharePoint continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve is essential. I expect to see further advancements in areas like AI-powered data classification, enhanced threat detection, and more granular access controls. At INVID, we are committed to staying at the forefront of these developments and helping our clients navigate the complexities of SharePoint HIPAA compliance.

Partnering for Success

Achieving SharePoint HIPAA compliance is a complex undertaking, but it’s not impossible. By partnering with an experienced software development firm like INVID, healthcare organizations can leverage the power of SharePoint while ensuring the privacy and security of patient data. We bring deep expertise in both HIPAA regulations and SharePoint’s capabilities to help our clients build secure, compliant, and efficient solutions. If you’re looking to enhance your organization’s security posture and ensure HIPAA compliance within your SharePoint environment, contact us today.