How Does FBM Support HIPAA-Like Privacy Practices?

How Does FBM Support HIPAA-Like Privacy Practices?

Although most food banks and pantries are not considered covered entities under HIPAA, many still strive to handle personal information in ways that reflect HIPAA’s standards for data privacy and protection.

FoodBank Manager (FBM) supports these efforts with technical and administrative safeguards designed to limit exposure, reduce risk, and prevent unauthorized access.

Does FBM store protected health information (PHI)?

FBM does not collect or store medical records or treatment history. However, guest records may include personal identifiers such as name, address, and demographics — and this information is handled with similar care.

Key privacy protections FBM provides:

• Private databases for each agency

• No shared guest record system

• Depersonalized regional reports

• One-way hashes for unduplicated tracking

• Role-based access to restrict user permissions

• HTTPS encryption and secure cloud hosting

Is FBM HIPAA-compliant?

Because food banks generally aren’t covered entities, HIPAA compliance isn’t required. FBM is not positioned as a HIPAA-compliant platform — but it follows many of the same principles:

• Data minimization

• Least-privilege access

• Secure transmission and storage

• No unauthorized third-party sharing

Can FBM support HIPAA-adjacent programs?

Yes. For programs with added sensitivity — like health screenings or referrals — FBM offers field-level controls and database-level permissions to help administrators reduce exposure while still meeting service needs.

Summary

• FBM does not collect PHI but treats guest data with care

• Platform design follows HIPAA-like principles

• Role-based access and hashing help prevent data misuse

• Secure hosting and isolation limit risk

Need help setting up field restrictions or limiting guest data access?

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