BAA (Business Associate Agreement)

Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a legal contract mandated by HIPAA between a covered entity (healthcare provider, health plan, or clearinghouse) and a business associate (any vendor who handles, processes, or stores Protected Health Information on their behalf).

What a BAA Requires

The BAA specifies how the business associate will:

• Safeguard PHI — implement technical, physical, and administrative controls.
• Limit use and disclosure — only use PHI for the stated business purpose.
• Report breaches — notify the covered entity immediately if PHI is accessed or disclosed improperly.
• Cooperate with audits — allow the covered entity to verify compliance.
• Destroy or return PHI — upon contract termination or request.

Why It Matters

Without a BAA in place, using a third-party voice platform to handle patient calls is a HIPAA violation, even if the platform is technically secure. A BAA creates shared accountability and a legal framework for compliance.

Workforce Wave BAA

Workforce Wave provides a signed BAA covering AI voice agents used in healthcare settings, ensuring that patient-facing calls, appointment scheduling, and health information lookups comply with HIPAA requirements.