The BlackBerry Email Application is not supported and is not a HIPAA compliant option.
EnGuard does not operate Microsoft Exchange Server with BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) at our facility. Therefore a BlackBerry is unable to connect directly to our servers. Instead, the servers at Research In Motion Limited (RIM) act as IMAP/POP and SMTP proxies on behalf of the phone using BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS). This means all of your incoming and outgoing email go through RIM's servers in Canada before reaching our servers. In order for us to remain HIPAA Compliant, RIM would need to enter into a Business Associate Agreement with us, which they have declined.
The HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule each require all electronic communications, even for a nanosecond, to be fully compliant. Therefore we do not support the use of BlackBerry devices over BIS with our email service. Allowing our customers to use their BlackBerry device over BlackBerry Internet Service to send and receive PHI with our email service would be considered willful negligence and a violation of HIPAA regulations.
For more information about penalties associated with email non-compliance, click here.
You can access our mobile webmail interface by using BlackBerry's web browser, without concern of non-compliance. However, we strongly advise that all covered entities discontinue the use of BlackBerry's built-in email application to send and receive PHI over BlackBerry Internet Services. This includes health care providers, doctors, clinics, psychologists, dentists, chiropractors, nursing homes, pharmacies, health insurance companies, hospitals, and billing services, and any other entities held accountable to HIPAA.
We recommend iPhone or Android as the smartphones of choice for use with our service, as those phones can connect directly to our servers via their native Mail/Email apps.