Microsoft Teams is HIPAA compliant for collecting, storing, sharing, or transmitting electronic Protected Health Information when a HIPAA Covered Entity or Business Associate subscribes to an appropriate Microsoft business plan that is covered by Microsoft’s Business Associate Agreement, configures the platform to meet the HIPAA Security Rule technical safeguard requirements, and trains the workforce to use Microsoft Teams in compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule. Microsoft Teams is commonly used for chat, videoconferencing, and file sharing, and HIPAA compliance depends on the configuration of Microsoft Teams, the subscription plan, and how the workforce uses the platform and any connected applications.
Microsoft Teams can be used without HIPAA compliance configuration when it is not used to collect, store, share, or transmit electronic Protected Health Information. Corporate communications, onboarding, internal training, and scheduling can be performed through the platform without involving electronic Protected Health Information. The compliance analysis changes when electronic Protected Health Information is exchanged in chats, meetings, channels, recordings, files, or through applications integrated with Microsoft Teams.
Subscription selection affects whether the controls needed for HIPAA Security Rule technical safeguards are available. Microsoft Teams is included in many business plans, but capabilities differ between plans, including identity and access management controls and other features that support administrative control over access. Some plans require add-on licenses or a broader healthcare-focused platform to obtain the controls needed for compliant use. The configuration task expands when an organization enables integrations because electronic Protected Health Information can be created, received, maintained, or transmitted by integrated applications in the same environment.
Microsoft’s Business Associate Agreement is accepted when a healthcare provider subscribes to a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 business plan, and Microsoft does not sign individual customer Business Associate Agreements. A covered entity that cannot accept Microsoft’s Business Associate Agreement terms must select a different platform rather than attempting to negotiate separate terms. A business plan must include licenses for all users, which can affect cost when Microsoft Teams is used by a limited group.
Microsoft Teams can be used for virtual telehealth consultations, including workflows where telehealth sessions are launched from certain electronic health record systems when prerequisites are met. Telehealth use requires workforce procedures that prevent impermissible disclosures under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, including identity verification practices and controls to address patient participation from locations where confidentiality cannot be assured.
Microsoft Teams includes a Data Loss Prevention safeguard that can block sensitive information from being shared with meeting guests, which often includes patients. Depending on configuration, this safeguard can limit file sharing with patients and can prompt workforce members to attempt noncompliant alternatives unless the organization enforces consistent telehealth and messaging procedures.