Introducing Freshpaint Video: The Privacy-First Video Solution for Healthcare

Embedding video content on your website is an easy, effective way to educate visitors about conditions, treatments, and programs your healthcare organization has to offer. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re considering YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia to host those videos—or maybe you already do. But relying on those platforms can leave you vulnerable to privacy violations, thanks to how they handle sensitive data (hint: they’re really bad at it).

That’s why we built Freshpaint Video: a secure video hosting and embedding solution built specifically for healthcare organizations to protect patient privacy and comply with privacy regulations like HIPAA⁠. It’s a simple swap for risky platforms like YouTube, Wistia, and Vimeo, ensuring visitors’ protected health information (PHI) stays private⁠⁠.

In this article, we’ll break down the risks of traditional embedded video platforms, how Freshpaint Video gives you an easy workaround, and walk you through the key features. 

How Do Embedded Videos Pose Problems for Healthcare Providers?

Hosting platforms like YouTube, Wistia, and Vimeo make it easy to store and stream video content without slowing down your website or eating up server space. Using those tools is a no-brainer for businesses that don’t have to worry about privacy regulations. But it’s a different story for healthcare organizations.

When you embed off-the-shelf video players on your website, they collect tons of sensitive information from your website visitors, including their IP address, cookies, device data, and browsing history. This creates the risk of unintentionally sharing Protected Health Information (PHI), potentially violating privacy regulations like HIPAA.

So, what does the US legal system have to say about embedded video? Glad you asked.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) v. Becerra case challenged a 2022 OCR bulletin warning that tracking technologies in video players could violate HIPAA. While the court ruled that an IP address and visits to unauthenticated pages (like those hosting health videos) don’t automatically count as PHI, the decision didn’t eliminate all risks. 

Other sensitive data, including cookies and ad tracking IDs, are still heavily regulated under HIPAA, state privacy laws, and FTC guidelines. Not to mention, healthcare organizations are still vulnerable to class-action lawsuits. 

Although the court eased some restrictions, healthcare organizations don’t have free reign to use YouTube or Vimeo, especially with identifiable health data in the mix.

It’s important to note that while the AHA ruling clarified that IP addresses on unauthenticated pages may not violate HIPAA, state laws can still impose restrictions, and the HIPAA exemption doesn’t extend beyond the current legal interpretation.

Bottom line: Standard video hosting and embedded players aren’t worth the risk if you handle sensitive identifiers.

How Freshpaint Video Solves the Privacy Problem

Freshpaint Video replaces risky video hosting and embedded players and empowers healthcare organizations to leverage the power of video without compromising performance or privacy. 

Let’s take a closer look at four key differentiators:

1. Data Security

We protect your data with a secure, rock-solid infrastructure and advanced security protocols. Our privacy-first approach means constant monitoring, airtight compliance, and safeguarding sensitive information every step of the way.

2. Fully Independent

Freshpaint hosts and manages all of your video content directly, with no integration or reliance on third-party platforms.

3. BAA Compliance

Freshpaint goes beyond standard offerings by providing a custom Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is required by HIPAA to ensure PHI is handled appropriately.

4. Full Control Over Data

With Freshpaint Video, you’re in the driver’s seat. You decide what data, if any, gets shared with third-party platforms—no automatic transmissions. This guarantees that sensitive information is only shared when you say so, ensuring full compliance with HIPAA and other privacy regulations.

Freshpaint Video in Action

Freshpaint Video is, well, fresh. But several healthcare organizations are already using it to enrich their websites with video content, without having to worry about legal and regulatory issues.

Take Goshen Health for example. They’re using Freshpaint Video to highlight their all-inclusive approach, showcase several testimonials from satisfied patients, and introduce their physicians. 

Freshpaint Video supports up to 4K quality with multi-language captions, so you don’t have to choose between keeping visitors engaged and keeping their information private. 

Finally, Videos for a Privacy-First World

Video content is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have to keep your community engaged and educated. That said, it can’t come at the cost of their privacy. You don’t need to ditch video altogether—just swap out platforms like YouTube and Vimeo for a HIPAA-compliant option like Freshpaint Video.

Ready to check it out? Request a demo here.