Many have the impression that e-mail travels from one computer to another. E-mail communication works so that the users utilize mail servers that transfer, store and send messages with different client programs. Mail servers in turn transfer messages through other mail servers and different proxy servers to receiver’s mail server. Receiver reads the message from the mail server with the client program in use like Gmail, outlook, yahoo etc. Thus, e-mail passes through multiple servers, not directly from computer to computer. Messages are perfectly readable when they travel unprotected. The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has stated in 2016 that the PHIPA requires the use of encryption, stating, “The IPC expects that email communication of personal health information among custodians will be secured from unauthorized access by use of encryption” and “custodians should use encryption for email communication with patients.” Regular email is not secure and its use exposes healthcare providers to significant risk.

End-to-end encryption involves information being encrypted between any two users on the internet and encrypted while being stored on computer servers. SigMail message exchanges are protected with an end-to-end encryption protocol making it impossible for third parties, including SigMail service providers to read or examine. These messages can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. Attachments to your email message such as images, home monitoring results (blood pressure, EKG strips, heart rates, oxygen levels, etc.), lab requisitions/ testing requisitions, video, or audio are all encrypted in the same manner.

Privacy is embedded into the design and architecture of SigMail, to deliver maximum degree of privacy and ensuring your personal data is automatically protected. Privacy is not selected as an add-on to SigMail making it an essential component of the core functionality without diminishing functionality.

Our platform provides secure connectivity on the internet to our users. Data is protected on network, in-transit and at rest. Our data resides in Canada in our datacenter which is ISO27001, PCI and SOC 2 compliant. We have best in class physical security in our datacenter We strictly follow HIPAA, PHIPA and PIPEDA guidelines to protect the privacy and security of our patient data.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information, commonly known as the HIPAA Privacy Rule, establishes the first national standards in the United States to protect patients’ personal or protected health information (PHI). In Canada, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) is an in-depth piece of legislation designed to address very complex issues concerning the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information by health information custodians. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) is a Canadian law relating to data privacy. It governs how private sector organizations collect, use and disclose personal information in the course of commercial business.