Secure Email

Secure Email is a security technology product available to OUHSC campus faculty, staff and students for use in the secure transmission of data via email. Secure Email allows OUHSC users to encrypt Information sent to recipients outside the campus email system.

For more information on how to send a secure email and the steps required by your recipient to retrieve secure email, see the knowledgebase article: What is Secure Email?
OUHSC IT has also established encrypted channels for the secure transmission of email between the OUHSC email system and business partner email systems. For a list of those business partners with secure channels see Secure Email and TLS

Secure Email will help safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of Sensitive Data sent between OUHSC and outside agencies or persons. These technologies use encryption to protect Sensitive Data from unauthorized access. HIPAA requires that sensitive data, such as PHI, that is sent outside the University electronically be encrypted. Other laws and regulations, such as those regarding student information and research, have similar requirements.

Note that current University policies may also govern Secure Email use, including:

HIPAA Privacy Policy – Safeguards
Consent for Electronic Communications Form
Email Transmission and Use Policy
Definition of Sensitive Data
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) Requirements - Ensure that email messages containing confidential information are kept secure when transmitted over an unprotected link.

To use either Secure Email or Secure File Transfer to send PHI, you must implement procedures that, at a minimum, comply with University policies and use the patients' consent for electronic communication form. See Specifically: HIPAA Privacy Policy – Safeguards, Consent for Electronic Communications and Best Practices links above.

PLEASE NOTE: For OU Physicians’ Oklahoma City employees – OU Physicians’ OKC Centricity EMR application includes an integrated Secure Messaging solution for electronic patient care communication involving PHI, allowing tracking and relating secured message documentation to the patient’s electronic health record. OUP Centricity EMR Secure Messaging policy provides more detail about communications that should only be conducted via Centricity EMR Secure Messaging by authorized system users.Questions related to the OU Physicians OKC policy may be directed to OUP OKC Medical Records at 271-8001, x46947. Centricity EMR user questions related to application navigation or training may be directed to OUP-EMR (HSC) or 271-3131, option 1.

For questions regarding HIPAA, please call 271-2511.