What Are the Requirements for HIPAA Cloud Storage?
Healthcare organizations, healthtech, and software teams have started depending more and more on cloud services and SaaS solutions to perform typical business operations. Organizations use cloud storage to manage files and collaborate between staff. Health and Human Services (HHS) has provided guidance on HIPAA compliance and cloud computing. In their guidance, HHS has stated that organization’s may use cloud services in a HIPAA compliant manner if they have a signed Business Associates Agreement (BAA) in place with the cloud platform/vendor. This BAA dictates requirements between the vendor and the client and designates which vendor services can be used in a HIPAA compliant manner.
Below is an updated 2026 list of HIPAA compliant cloud storage solutions that offer HIPAA covered services:
Key Benefits of Using Cloud Storage for Healthcare Data
Moving healthcare data to the cloud isn’t just a nod to convenience, it’s a game-changer for healthcare teams, software companies and medical practices and organizations aiming to modernize. Here’s why cloud storage stands out:
- Improved Accessibility: Cloud solutions enable staff to access protected health information and critical data securely from virtually anywhere. Staff can access patient data whether working on-site or remotely.
- Seamless Collaboration: Teams can securely share files with colleagues across departments or facilities, which means faster response times and coordinated care for patients.
- Scalability & Cost Savings: By swapping out expensive on-premises servers for cloud services, organizations can easily scale storage and lower costs, only paying for what you use and avoiding unnecessary overhead.
- Enhanced Security Controls: Cloud platforms centralize security management, making it easier to track who accesses data and to implement consistent data protection measures.
- Regulatory Compliance: Centralized, cloud-based security features and robust audit trails simplify the process of meeting strict requirements like those set by HIPAA.
Ultimately, adopting cloud storage lets healthtech teams, healthcare providers, and software providers to focus on product offerings and delivering patient care rather than wrangling technology or hunting for missing files.
Top 5 HIPAA Compliant Cloud Storage Solutions:
Amazon S3
Amazon S3 is Amazon Web Services’ cloud service for Object storage. S3 allows organizations to upload files, select storage types, set access roles, and manage backup, encryption, and file versioning. Users can define a lifecycle alongside Amazon Glacier for how data is retained and managed. Amazon S3 offers a large amount of configuration but is definitely one of the most technical solution on this list.
Amazon Web Services offers a BAA covering a number of services. Organizations can utilize AWS HIPAA eligible services, as well as Amazon S3 to store PHI and build applications. Learn about best practices for managing HIPAA with Amazon S3.
Google Drive
Drive is Google’s cloud storage solution. Drive is included in Google’s G Suite and makes it easy for organizations to upload, share, and collaborate on files. Desktop and mobile applications make it simple for staff to automatically sync files to the cloud and access them across multiple devices.
Google offers a BAA that covers G Suite services including Docs, Sheets, Gmail, and Drive. Organization’s can use Google Drive along with other G Suite covered services in order to collaborate within teams. Google Vault can be used alongside Drive for document retention, archiving, and audit logging purposes.
Healthcare teams can securely share files through Google Drive’s HIPAA-compliant cloud storage as long as users follow established security policies and a business associate agreement (BAA) is in place.
Box
Box is an enterprise cloud storage platform for uploading, syncing, sharing, and managing files. Box has a number of security programs including HIPAA and offers a number of services targeted at healthcare organizations.
Box offers a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to clients with an Enterprise or Elite account. Box handles data encryption, system access controls, and provides configurable administrative controls to the client.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a long-established consumer cloud storage provider, that offers a number of business solutions for cloud storage. Dropbox allows teams to upload, sync and managing files easily using their platform.
Dropbox offers a BAA that covers Dropbox Business customers Dropbox Showcase is not covered under this agreement and organizations must individually evaluate 3rd Party apps and integrations being used with PHI. The Dropbox platform allows configuration of user access permissions, file retention, account logging and monitoring by the client.
Office 365 and Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage option provided as part of Office 365. Often included with other Microsoft software, OneDrive is part of Microsoft’s Office Online Services and integrates with a number of Office 365 tools.
Microsoft offers a BAA that covers services including OneDrive for Business, Office 365, Dynamics 365, Azure and Azure Government.
HIPAA Requirements For Cloud Storage
To legally handle protected health information (PHI) in the cloud, cloud services must go beyond basic security. HIPAA compliance is a shared responsibility between the cloud provider and the customer, requiring specific technical and administrative safeguards. All of the services listed above can be utilized in a HIPAA compliant manner, but it is up to the covered entity/business associate to maintain a proper security program in order to stay compliant.
To ensure data protection and meet HIPAA standards, organizations must look for several essential security features when evaluating cloud storage options.
Business Associates Agreement (BAA)
Organizations must sign a business associates agreement (BAA) with all cloud storage and cloud service providers that will handle protected health information (PHI). This agreement defines all responsibilities of the cloud provider regarding PHI protection. Without a signed BAA, a cloud service cannot be considered HIPAA-compliant, regardless of how secure their encryption might be.
Access Controls and Authentication
HIPAA requires strict limits on who can access and view PHI. Healthcare teams must implement unique user credentials and access control standards with any cloud storage solution. Compliant storage must offer Identity and Access Management (IAM) features including, granular user permissions, and strong password policies.
Audit Logging
Healthcare teams and must implement all necessary audit logging standards to track every instance of data access, modification, or deletion. In the event of a security incident, these logs allow organizations to determine exactly what happened, when it happened, and who was involved.
Encryption
All PHI data must be encrypted both at-rest and in-transit. This helps protect sensitive health information from unauthorized access and cyber threats, whether the data is stored on a server or being transferred between devices. Organizations typically implement industry-standard encryption such as AES-256 across cloud storage providers.
Administrative Policies
Organizations must implement a set of HIPAA administrative policies. For policies and procedures, teams must conduct annual risk assessments, provide employee training, and set standard operating procedures for backup and recovery, availability and more.
Need Help With Your HIPAA Security Program?
Navigating the complexities of cloud security and regulatory requirements can be a daunting task for healthcare and healthtech organizations. Finding the right cloud storage provider is only one piece of the puzzle. Building and maintaining a HIPAA-compliant infrastructure requires continuous oversight and specialized expertise.
Dash ComplyOps is designed to simplify this journey. We help organizations build sustainable, scalable security and compliance programs that go beyond a simple checklist. By automating policy generation, streamlining risk assessments, and providing technical controls and real-time monitoring of your cloud environment, Dash ensures PHI is properly safeguarded against evolving threats.
Whether you are migrating to the cloud for the first time or looking to optimize your existing security posture, Dash ComplyOps provides the tools and insights needed to achieve audit-ready compliance with confidence.
