Nea Justice - Paid Search and Programmatic Advertising Expert

Outsourcing Google Ads?
10 Questions to Ask About HIPAA

If you’re an important part of a healthcare organization, you already understand the importance of HIPAA compliance. But when advertising enters the picture—especially on platforms like Google Ads—compliance isn’t just about the content. It’s about how campaigns are structured, tracked, and managed behind the scenes.

The following questions are designed to help you evaluate whether your advertising efforts are being handled with the care your organization requires. Whether you’re choosing a new partner or reviewing an existing one, these questions will help you spot red flags, confirm best practices, and gain clarity around what’s really happening in your account.

1. How do you make sure our Google Ads targeting stays HIPAA-safe?

healthcare advertising

Targeting in Google Ads includes choices like who sees your ads based on their location, interests, website visits, or online behavior. Problems can arise when targeting becomes too personal—especially if it’s based on someone’s health journey. Even without using names or contact info, trying to reach people who visited condition-specific pages or showed signs of needing treatment can cross a line. A thoughtful partner will know how to avoid risky targeting methods and still help you reach the right audience.

2. How do you build keyword strategies that reflect HIPAA boundaries?

Your Google Ads partner understands that the risk isn’t in the keywords themselves, but in what happens next. HIPAA concerns come into play when keyword-driven campaigns are paired with tracking or data sharing that could connect searches to identifiable health information. An experienced team will be able to explain how they choose keywords carefully and structure campaigns to avoid risky combinations with remarketing or behavioral targeting.

3. What’s your process for reviewing ad copy before it goes live?

Ad copy plays a big role in how your brand is perceived and how well your campaigns align with HIPAA expectations. A qualified team will have a clear, repeatable process for reviewing every headline and description before launch. They understand that even well-meaning language can feel intrusive if it sounds like it’s diagnosing or targeting personal health issues. You should feel confident that nothing goes live without passing through both a compliance lens and your internal review process.

4. How is our account structured to prevent accidental HIPAA violations?

Expect to hear that your Google Ads team avoids remarketing tied to health-related content and disables any audience features that rely on sensitive user behavior. They should be able to describe how the account is configured to limit data sharing, prevent ad personalization, and stay well clear of any settings that could lead to privacy risks. The right team will treat compliance as part of the foundation—not an afterthought.

5. How do you track campaign results without violating HIPAA?

Your team should be clear on how they avoid sending personal or health-related information into ad platforms. Since Google doesn’t sign Business Associate Agreements, no tracking setup should involve Protected Health Information. Look for use of metrics like page views, phone click-throughs, or anonymous form completions—data that gives you insights without risking compliance.

6. What experience do you have running HIPAA-conscious campaigns?

Take the time to learn how your Google Ads partner has handled compliance in healthcare settings. Ask for examples that show their experience across different types of healthcare settings. You’ll gain insight into how they approach sensitive work, how they think through privacy concerns, and whether their mindset and methods align with the level of care and caution you expect.

7. How do you train your team on HIPAA-related risks in advertising?

Ask how their team stays up to date on HIPAA expectations and how that knowledge shows up in everyday work. You’ll get a sense of whether compliance is built into their culture or just handled by one or two people. Strong answers will show that protecting patient privacy is a shared responsibility—not an afterthought.

8. Do we get to review creative and copy before anything is launched?

Transparency builds trust. Ask how you’ll be included in the review process and what visibility you’ll have before ads go live. This isn’t just about protecting your brand—it’s also about making sure sensitive content gets a second look with privacy in mind. The right partner will welcome your input and treat reviews as a collaborative step, not a bottleneck.

9. How do you configure Google Ads to respect user privacy?

Account configuration is one of the most overlooked areas in compliance. Ask how campaign settings are managed to limit data sharing, disable ad personalization, and avoid audience-building based on user behavior. These behind-the-scenes details can make a big difference. The way your team handles setup should reflect a clear understanding of the platform’s limits and a proactive approach to reducing risk.

10. What happens if an ad, setting, or part of the account gets flagged by Google?

Flags can happen for many reasons—ad content, tracking setup, landing page behavior, or policy settings. Ensure that these issues will be monitored regularly and addressed quickly if they arise. Look for a clear process that includes identifying the problem, resolving it efficiently, and keeping you informed throughout. How these moments are handled can tell you a lot about the reliability and professionalism of your advertising support.

Final Thought: Protecting Privacy Starts with Smart Oversight

Asking the right questions is a powerful way to protect both your organization and your patients’ trust. When it comes to HIPAA and digital advertising, clarity matters—both in how campaigns are built and how your advertising support team approaches privacy from the ground up. These questions will help you lead with confidence, set expectations early, and build partnerships that take compliance as seriously as you do.

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