Can I access Supervision Assist with an unsecured WiFi?

Whenever possible, only access Supervision Assist using a secure Wi-Fi connection. Transmitting ePHI through an unsecured Wi-Fi is a noncompliant/negligent violation of HIPAA standards, and is usually an easy fix for most clinics. Most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) will be able to walk a clinic through the steps of securing their Wi-Fi. This is the best option for the security of the client, student, and clinic.

The best alternative in this situation is to connect to a VPN. This provides a secure tunnel for transporting data.  Using a VPN service such as Tunnelbear is per-device and can be turned on/off as needed. When using a VPN over public WiFi the connection isn’t itself encrypted, but the data is sent encrypted between the client device and the VPN intermediary. This has a performance impact (usually small), but it is a very significant improvement over using a straight open WiFi connection. Please contact your clinical coordinator or someone at your Universities IT department to set up this process for you.