Running a small medical clinic is challenging enough without worrying about whether your website meets HIPAA requirements.
Patient expectations have shifted. They want to book appointments online, access their medical records, and communicate with your practice securely. All through your website.
But here’s the problem:
Most popular website builders don’t offer the security features you need to handle protected health information (PHI). And the ones that do? They often require technical expertise your team doesn’t have.
The good news?
There are website builders designed specifically for healthcare providers that handle HIPAA compliance automatically while giving you the patient portal features your practice needs.
These tools help you:
- Create secure patient portals that integrate seamlessly with your website
- Collect patient information through encrypted forms
- Enable secure messaging between patients and your practice
- Manage appointments and medical records in compliance with HIPAA regulations
I’ve spent months testing various HIPAA-compliant website builders for small medical clinics. The tools below are the ones that consistently deliver both security and functionality.
(And yes, they all provide the Business Associate Agreements you need)
My Top 3 HIPAA-Compliant Website Builders for Small Medical Clinics
- Blaze: Custom no-code platform for building comprehensive patient management systems
- Dr. Leonardo: Healthcare-specific website builder with built-in patient portal integration
- SimplePractice: EHR platform with integrated website builder and client portal features
Blaze
Best for clinics that need customizable patient portal workflows and integrations
Pricing: From $400/month; Enterprise pricing available for HIPAA compliance
Blaze stands out because it’s not just a website builder. It’s a complete no-code platform that lets you build custom healthcare applications without any programming skills.
What makes Blaze perfect for small medical clinics is its flexibility. You can create exactly the patient portal workflow your practice needs, rather than being stuck with a one-size-fits-all solution.
Build Custom Patient Management Systems
Most website builders give you basic contact forms and maybe appointment scheduling. Blaze goes much deeper.
You can create comprehensive patient management workflows using their drag-and-drop interface. For example, you might build a system where:
Patients complete intake forms online, which automatically populate your EHR system. The system triggers appointment reminders via email or SMS. After visits, patients receive secure links to access their test results or treatment plans.
All of this happens automatically, and you can customize every step to match how your clinic operates.
I’ve seen small practices use Blaze to create sophisticated workflows that rival what larger health systems have, but without the massive IT costs.
HIPAA Compliance Built In
Blaze takes HIPAA compliance seriously. They provide end-to-end encryption, role-based access controls, and comprehensive audit logging right out of the box.
What this means for your practice:
All data transmitted through your website is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Multi-factor authentication ensures only authorized staff can access patient information. Detailed audit logs track who accessed what patient information and when.
Plus, Blaze maintains SOC 2 Type II compliance alongside HIPAA, which gives you extra confidence in their security practices.
Integrate with Your Existing Systems
Small clinics often use multiple systems – an EHR, a scheduling platform, maybe a billing service. Blaze connects with all of them.
They offer pre-built integrations with popular healthcare platforms including Cerner, Epic, and various patient scheduling systems. You can also connect to payment processors for co-pays and billing.
If you use a system that doesn’t have a pre-built integration, Blaze supports custom API connections. Their implementation team helps set everything up, so you don’t need technical expertise.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited customization for patient portal workflows | Higher price point compared to basic website builders |
| Built-in HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance | Requires some learning curve for advanced features |
| Comprehensive EHR and healthcare system integrations |
Blaze Alternative: Custom Development
If you have a large budget and want complete control, you could hire a development team to build a custom patient portal from scratch.
However, custom development typically costs $50,000-$200,000 and takes 6-12 months to complete. You’ll also need ongoing maintenance and security updates.
Blaze gives you similar customization capabilities at a fraction of the cost and time investment.
Dr. Leonardo
Best for practices that want a healthcare-specific website with patient portal integration
Pricing: Provider sites: $35/month + $95 activation fee; Practice sites: Custom pricing
Dr. Leonardo has been serving healthcare providers for over 20 years. They understand exactly what medical practices need from their websites.
What I appreciate most about Dr. Leonardo is how they’ve built patient portal integration directly into their platform. It’s not an afterthought or add-on feature.
Healthcare-Focused Design Templates
Dr. Leonardo offers over 1,000 website design layouts specifically created for medical practices. These aren’t generic business templates with medical photos slapped on.
Each template includes sections for:
- Provider credentials and specialties
- Insurance acceptance information
- Patient education resources
- Direct links to your patient portal
- HIPAA-compliant contact forms
The designs use professional medical photography and are optimized for the way patients search for healthcare information online.
Seamless Patient Portal Integration
Here’s where Dr. Leonardo really shines. They integrate with most major EHR systems including Greenway Health and Amazing Charts.
When patients visit your website, they can access your patient portal directly without being redirected to a separate platform. This creates a seamless experience that patients appreciate.
The integration works both ways. Patient information collected through your website forms automatically flows into your EHR system. Appointment requests made through your site appear in your scheduling system.
HIPAA-Compliant SecureForms
All patient communication happens through Dr. Leonardo’s SecureForms system, which uses SSL encryption to protect PHI.
When patients fill out intake forms or send messages through your website, the information is automatically encrypted and delivered to your secure dashboard.
This means you can collect detailed medical history, insurance information, and other sensitive data directly through your website without HIPAA compliance concerns.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 20+ years of healthcare industry experience | Less customization compared to platforms like Blaze |
| Direct EHR integration with major systems | Limited to healthcare-specific templates |
| Affordable pricing for small practices |
Dr. Leonardo Alternative: WordPress with HIPAA Plugins
WordPress is popular and offers more design flexibility than Dr. Leonardo. However, making WordPress HIPAA-compliant requires multiple plugins, specialized hosting, and ongoing security maintenance.
Dr. Leonardo handles all of this automatically, making it much simpler for small practices that don’t have dedicated IT staff.
SimplePractice
Best for mental health and wellness practices that need EHR and website functionality combined
Pricing: From $29/month; HIPAA-compliant website builder included in Essential plan ($69/month)
SimplePractice started as practice management software for therapists and wellness professionals. They’ve since expanded to serve all types of healthcare practices while maintaining their focus on ease of use.
What makes SimplePractice unique is that it’s both a comprehensive EHR system and a website builder. This integration eliminates the headaches of connecting separate systems.
All-in-One Practice Management
SimplePractice combines website building, patient portal functionality, scheduling, billing, and clinical documentation in one platform.
For small practices, this integration is huge. Instead of paying for and managing multiple systems, you get everything you need in one place.
The client portal allows patients to:
- Complete intake forms and questionnaires online
- Schedule and reschedule appointments
- Make payments for services
- Access session notes and treatment plans
- Communicate securely with providers
All of this data flows directly into your EHR system, so there’s no duplicate data entry.
HIPAA and HITRUST Certified
SimplePractice goes beyond basic HIPAA compliance. They’re HITRUST certified, which is considered the gold standard for healthcare security.
HITRUST certification means they’ve met security requirements from multiple frameworks including HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST. This gives you extra confidence that patient data is protected.
Their security features include:
- Bank-level 128-bit SSL encryption
- Multi-factor authentication for all accounts
- Advanced intrusion detection and monitoring
- Regular third-party security audits
Integrated Telehealth Platform
Small practices increasingly offer telehealth services, and SimplePractice makes this seamless.
Patients can join video sessions directly from the client portal with just one click. No separate logins or software downloads required.
The telehealth platform includes waiting rooms, session recording capabilities, and chat functionality. Everything is HIPAA-compliant and integrated with your EHR documentation.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Complete practice management solution in one platform | Primarily designed for mental health and wellness practices |
| HITRUST certification provides extra security assurance | Website customization options are more limited |
| Integrated telehealth with no additional software needed |
SimplePractice Alternative: TheraNest
TheraNest offers similar practice management features with HIPAA-compliant portal functionality. However, they don’t include website building capabilities, so you’d need a separate solution for your practice website.
SimplePractice provides both the website and practice management functionality in one integrated platform.
Other Tools That Support HIPAA-Compliant Websites
Running a medical practice requires more than just a website and patient portal. Here are additional tools that integrate well with the platforms above:
HIPAA-Compliant Form Builders: Tools like HIPAAtizer and JotForm Health offer specialized medical intake forms that can be embedded in any website.
Secure Communication: Platforms like Spruce and TigerText provide HIPAA-compliant messaging for patient communication outside the portal.
Medical Billing Integration: Services like DrChrono and Athenahealth can connect with your website to streamline billing and insurance verification.
Analytics and Monitoring: Google Analytics with proper configuration can provide website insights while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Practice
Each of these platforms excels in different areas:
Choose Blaze if you want maximum customization and plan to build complex patient workflows. It’s ideal for practices that need specific integrations or have unique operational requirements.
Choose Dr. Leonardo if you want a straightforward, healthcare-focused website with reliable patient portal integration. It’s perfect for small practices that want proven solutions without complexity.
Choose SimplePractice if you need both practice management software and a website. It’s ideal for mental health practices, wellness providers, and small clinics that want everything in one platform.
All three platforms provide the HIPAA compliance and patient portal functionality that modern medical practices need. The key is choosing the one that best fits your practice’s specific workflow and technical requirements.
Your patients expect digital convenience without compromising their privacy. These platforms make it possible to deliver both.
