Moving patient intake processes online is a natural step for many healthcare practices. That’s where you, the developer, come in. Your client needs a mobile-friendly, branded online form—but it must also be HIPAA Compliant. You know how to build a form, but you might not have time to dig into every technical detail of HIPAA Compliance.
Don’t stress—here are some practical tips to help you create that secure, HIPAA-Compliant online form without the headache.
Why HIPAA Matters for Online Forms
Whenever your form might collect Protected Health Information (PHI)—like detailed medical history or even a “reason for visit” AND any other personally identifiable health data—HIPAA regulations apply. That typically means:
- Encryption (in transit and at rest)
- Secure Servers (that feature all HIPAA technical and security safeguards)
- Access Controls & Audit Logs (To manage and track who has access to PHI)
A simple contact form with a name and email address might not be considered PHI-collecting, but as soon as you add anything “medical” to the form, HIPAA kicks in.
Key Guidelines for a HIPAA-Compliant Form
- Know Which Forms Really Need HIPAA Compliance
- Not every form must be HIPAA Compliant. A standard contact form might be fine, but once you ask for a “reason for visit,” it becomes HIPAA PHI.
- Encrypt & Secure
- Use a form builder that automatically encrypts data and stores it on secure servers.
- If you rely on a third-party HIPAA-Compliant solution, confirm that they will provide a BAA with your client.
- Ask the Right Questions – Requirements to future online forms.
- Conditional Logic: Does the form need to adapt based on user responses?
- Save & Continue: Longer intake forms may require this feature.
- Hidden or Internal Use Only Fields: Some clinics use these for internal notes or marketing data.
- Submission Format: Doctors often want a printable version; patients prefer something mobile-friendly.
- Payments & E-Signatures: Are these features needed? Even if they’re not needed now, consider if they might be down the line.
- Limit Your Access to PHI while building or editing the online form.
- Once the form is ready for testing and tweaks, healthcare providers sometimes accidentally give developers full access to their online form portal, including patient submissions. That’s a recipe for accidental HIPAA violations.
- Opt for a developer view that restricts or masks PHI access, or ensure you have a BAA if access to PHI is unavoidable.
Watch Out for (Avoidable) HIPAA Traps
- Unsecured Hosting
- Regular website builders or standard hosting environments usually aren’t HIPAA Compliant.
- Unnecessary Access
- If you’re casually browsing real patient data to debug issues, you risk violating HIPAA.
- Lack of BAA
- Any third party (including you as a developer) must have a Business Associate Agreement if they have any access to PHI.
No Need to Reinvent the Wheel: Use a HIPAA-Compliant Form Builder
The good news? You don’t have to code every security detail from scratch. No-code form builders help you keep the form’s branding and mobile-friendliness, while handling the heavy lifting of HIPAA Compliance behind the scenes.
We recently compared the top tools in our 5 Best HIPAA-Compliant Form Builders in 2025 blog. Whether it’s free PDF conversion, built-in e-signatures, or a developer sandbox that keeps you away from PHI, these services can spare you hours of configuration and legal research.
Build Smart, Stay Compliant
If you’re a developer or agency working with healthcare clients, remember to:
- Identify if the forms will collect PHI and have to be HIPAA-Compliant.
- Choose a HIPAA-Compliant form builder or solution.
- Restrict your own access to PHI (use developer dashboards or BAAs).
- Confirm the final submission workflow aligns with both clinic and patient needs (e.g., printable vs. mobile-friendly, e-signatures, etc.).
Need help picking the right tool? Check out our 5 Best HIPAA-Compliant Form Builders in 2025 for a detailed look at top providers—or explore how a service like HIPAAtizer can save you time and stress. Your healthcare clients—and their patients—will thank you.
Want to learn more? Visit our page HIPAA-Compliant Form Builder
Still have questions? Contact us