What is Secure Email?

Secure Email allows HSC users to encrypt Sensitive Information sent to recipients outside of the campus email system. Examples of messages that should be encrypted include:

• University to state agency communications that require the transfer of Sensitive Data via email (i.e., OU HR to state Office of Personnel Management).
• Transfer of student information from the University Bursar's office to student loan organizations.
• OU healthcare billing communications with outside agencies.
• Communications between OUHSC and research agencies (FDA, NIH) that need to remain confidential.

Please see policy links below for more information on when Secure Email may or must be used.

To send a secure email you will need to use the following method:

1. Put the word "[secure]" enclosed within brackets in the Subject-line of the message (Mac or Windows). 

This works with either Mac OS X or Windows operating systems using the Outlook client, Web Mail, or any other e-mail client connected to the OUHSC Exchange email service.

Some users may be using the Secure Email Plug-in with the “Send Secure” button. Be aware the Plug-in is not compatible with all email clients. Therefore, we recommend using [secure] in the subject line as the method for sending Secure Email.

In order to read/view a message sent as a Secure Email, the recipient is required to complete a short, one-time registration with the HSC Secure Email system.

• How does the recipient of the secure email retrieve the encrypted message?

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: 

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.

• HIPAA Privacy Policy – Safeguards: http://www.ouhsc.edu/hipaa/Policies/Privacy-18_Safeguards.pdf
• Consent for Electronic Communications Form: Consent for Electronic Communications Form
• Best Practices Secure email Policy Template: Best Practices Secure Email Policy Template
• Transmission of Sensitive Data policy: http://it.ouhsc.edu/policies/Transmission_of_Sensitive_Data.asp
• Definition of Sensitive Data: Information_Security_Policy_Definitions

For questions regarding HIPAA, please call 271-2511.