Learn about why WordPress is not HIPAA compliant by default and find out what healthcare providers need to know before using it for patient data.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets rules for how electronic protected health information (ePHI) must be handled. If your website collects names, phone numbers, emails, or medical details through a form, that data is ePHI. HIPAA requires:
Encryption for data at rest and in transit
Access controls so only authorized staff can see submissions
Audit logs to track access and changes
Backups and disaster recovery
Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with vendors that process or store ePHI
If any of these are missing, you are not compliant.
WordPress is an open-source content management system. It is flexible, but it is not designed for HIPAA compliance out of the box.
The core platform does not include encryption at rest, detailed audit logs, or role-based access controls required by HIPAA
Standard plugins for forms or data collection (like Contact Form 7, WPForms, Gravity Forms) do not meet HIPAA standards
Most hosting providers for WordPress (shared hosting, managed WordPress services) will not sign a BAA
This means a healthcare provider using WordPress contact forms without changes would be exposing PHI in a non-compliant way.
Technically yes, but it is complex and costly. You would need to:
Host WordPress with a HIPAA-compliant cloud provider that offers a BAA (e.g., certain configurations of AWS or Google Cloud)
Install an SSL/TLS certificate and force HTTPS site-wide
Implement full database encryption and secure backups
Configure role-based access controls and audit logs
Use a HIPAA-compliant form solution that encrypts submissions and stores them securely
Even with these steps, ongoing monitoring and patching are required. HIPAA compliance is not a one-time setup.
If your main concern is collecting patient data safely, you do not need to overhaul WordPress itself. A more practical option is to embed a HIPAA-compliant form provider.
Forms should encrypt data end-to-end
Data should bypass WordPress and be stored in a HIPAA-secure environment
The vendor should provide a signed BAA
Form Vessel provides exactly that. You can keep your WordPress site for content and design, but route all patient data through HIPAA-compliant forms built in Form Vessel. This avoids the risks and complexity of trying to make WordPress itself compliant.
WordPress on its own is not HIPAA compliant. Making it compliant requires advanced hosting, technical setup, and constant maintenance. For most healthcare organizations, the simpler and safer path is to use a HIPAA-compliant form solution like Form Vessel embedded on your WordPress site.
If your practice uses WordPress and you need to collect patient inquiries securely, learn more about Form Vessel and how it helps you meet HIPAA requirements without overcomplicating your website.