Keeping your emails private and secure

Hushmail can be adapted for different size practices with a variety of easy-to-use and customizable features. Importantly, automatic encryption is included for internal emails along with the ability to send an encrypted email to all other external addresses. Secure intake, feedback, and questionnaire (such as the PHQ-9) forms can quickly and easily be created and linked to your practice website, signature line, or social media.

Hushmail is easy to navigate and use. While it can be accessed on any web browser, two-step authentication is required. Patients generally had an easy time receiving and responding to messages; however, for some there was resistance to having to create and remember another password to access the encrypted email.

Hushmail performs well and is reliant on internet access. While an app is only available via iPhone, Hushmail can be integrated into other mobile email apps and programs such as Outlook, Apple Mail, and Thunderbird.

Customer service is prompt, knowledgeable, and helpful in answering questions via email, call, and chat. In addition, Hushmail provides a resource library with a variety of articles on getting started and to help users understand the product, security, and privacy. Hushmail also has a blog that provides resources for HIPAA-compliant practices and using Hushmails’ features.

Given its security measures and focus on health care providers, Hushmail’s price point appears to be reasonable, especially since two of the three packages include secure web forms and e-signatures. This is a plus for psychologists who are doing more web-based communication and telehealth services.

Hushmail for Healthcare’s capacity to create and transmit fillable office forms is a bonus. Another feature is the auto-delete function for emails sent to non-Hushmail systems. Deletion occurs 14 days after the encrypted email is sent, adding a protective feature often not seen in such cost-friendly programs.

Hushmail’s email system is relatively easy to set-up and use, except for the automatic encryption function. Once a sender encrypts an email to a non-Hushmail address, the sender must always send emails encrypted unless they manually turn it off. The e-forms are relatively easy to create, but are not in an Adobe product and do not allow for a drawn e-signature requiring additional consent language and creation of unique identifiers within the e-signature (e.g., last 4 of the SSN).

Hushmail provides more than adequate email and forms management functionality, however, like many web-based email protocols, the connectivity can sometimes be challenging. There are times when the email processing will take too long or fail to engage resulting in an email being moved into drafts without the sender’s knowledge.

Hushmail’s online resources, along with the program’s manuals, are generally adequate for most common questions. Hushmail also has customer service representatives available to answer questions, providing a second level of support. Most interactions with customer service produced either guidance, or sometimes, a software bug to be fixed.

For the money, Hushmail is a good value. Other encrypted email systems can cost more, and likely not provide any additional security or support. The costs of using various programs for documents and email likely would exceed the costs of Hushmail.

MailHippo is solely a HIPAA-compliant and secure email messaging system. Psychologists can include their company name in branding but not a logo. Paid subscribers have the ability to recall any emails sent in error. There is no option to schedule an email for a later date or time, a valuable feature on some other email services.

MailHippo’s advantage is its simplicity. It is extremely easy to navigate as the functions are similar to most basic email platforms. Patients just put your personalized web link into any browser, which will open a window with an email template that allows them to easily send you an email.

While you can use your current email address, you have to log in to the MailHippo platform to send and read emails. This will mean having to manage another email system. The platform does not allow you to store names and contact information, so you must type in an email address each time you send an email.

Customer support is via email only, however, the software is not complicated. You can expect to receive a response within a 24-hour time frame. There are no videos or demos on the website, but there is a frequently asked questions section that describes the security features and how the software works.

If you use an email account that does not offer HIPAA protection and you are not interested in a system with added features, this could be a valuable option for you. There are other products with minimal additional cost, however, that provide secure messaging and many other features beyond MailHippo’s limited capacity.

MailHippo can be used with any email platform that you already use. Attachments can be sent, and clients can then respond and include attachments when desired. While contacts cannot be stored, MailHippo saves the addresses of people you have sent emails to, so when you begin to type in an email to a previous address, it autofills.

MailHippo is very easy to use as it is similar to other email platforms. Clients receive the emails at their own email address without having to check an additional platform but do need to set up a password to view the email content. Some clients reported having to create an account to reply, while others were able to respond without doing so, making things a bit confusing.

MailHippo functions very well and works seamlessly from the email app on my phone. The website is clean, clear, and intuitive. MailHippo implements a robust backup solution which ensures data integrity and business continuity of the MailHippo platform.

Customer support on MailHippo is only via texting or emails within the platform and there are no educational or video tutorials. That said, the app is clear and easy to use. Requests for clarification sent through the support website link took several hours.

MailHippo, a relatively new service (esp. 2019), is a great value for the money. After a 30-day free trial, Basic service is $4.95 per month. Most solo practicing psychologists would not need more than the Basic plan.

ProtonMail can be used with any email platform already in use. Attachments can be sent, and clients can then respond and include attachments when desired. Contacts can be stored securely, you can customize your inbox, and you can store emails in folders if desired.

ProtonMail is quite easy to use. Emails sent through the platform appear as a regular email to the recipient. When they respond, it goes to your Proton account, and a notation comes to your regular email account that an email has been posted to your Proton account.

ProtonMail is very functional, and the website is clean, clear, and intuitive. It worked seamlessly when I accessed it from my phone.

Direct access to customer service representatives is only available to subscribers at the Business or Professional plan levels, however, there is a wealth of information available on the website. I didn’t have to contact customer service because the platform is so intuitive and functional.

The Business account offers high-level email privacy protection for a competitive price with well-functioning message volume, storage, folders, custom domains, and customer support. Annual rates offer a savings of 25–33% compared to monthly payments.

ProtonMail offers most features that one would expect in a less secure email service. The Professional Plan includes administrative functionality (including ability to reset user passwords), customized domains, email filters, automatic responder, and a support team to help set up. It also includes an integrated encrypted calendar.

ProtonMail’s streamlined and clean interface makes it easy to use and tailor to personal preferences for email use; however, it is limited in ways that it can be customizable. Patients seemed to find it easy to decrypt messages and appreciated not having to create a password as I set a specific password for each patient and provided it to them during our telehealth visit.

ProtonMail worked well without any issues. It is web-based and has apps available for both Android and IOS for Apple products and can be accessed from any web browser.

Users at the Professional Plan level can request a phone call for customer support on the website. Email support is available 24/7. ProtonMail provides a step by step guide on their website as well as a questions library. A blog with additional information and articles regarding ProtonMail’s service is also available.

The Professional/Business Plan is reasonably priced given its flexibility in customizing the number of users and practice needs. They also offer a discount for non-profits. While it does not have the bells and whistles of some of the other encryption email services, the more robust and in-depth security measures are unique and offer a good value for the money.