How can I ensure compliance with industry regulations like HIPAA and SOC 2 when managing sensitive information in direct mail campaigns?

How can I ensure compliance with industry regulations like HIPAA and SOC 2 when managing sensitive information in direct mail campaigns?

When your mail includes personal or confidential information, compliance isn’t optional. For regulated industries like healthcare and finance, protecting data through every step of a campaign is just as important as what you send.

‍

Here’s how to make sure your direct mail stays secure and compliant.

‍

Understand your obligations

Different rules apply to different industries, but they share one purpose: safeguarding private information. HIPAA governs how healthcare organizations handle protected health data, while SOC 2 focuses on the systems and controls that keep customer information secure.

‍

If your mail includes any personal details, you’re responsible for ensuring that every handoff – from data transfer to printing to delivery – meets these standards.

‍

Work with certified partners

Not all print or mail vendors can manage regulated data. Choose partners who can demonstrate compliance through certifications, audits, and secure infrastructure. Ask how they:

• Encrypt data, 
• Control access
• Hit deadlines
• And monitor for risks.

‍

Limit manual handling

Every manual touchpoint increases the risk of exposure. Automating your mail workflows helps reduce that risk by keeping data inside secure systems from start to finish. APIs and integrations send data directly to your mail provider, eliminating spreadsheets, file uploads, and guesswork.

‍

Make compliance ongoing

Regulations evolve, and so should your processes. Schedule regular reviews, audit your vendors, and update internal documentation to stay aligned with current standards. Treat compliance as an active practice, not a checkbox.

Learn more about how Lob keeps your mail secure.