How to Block PHI in Google Drive Automatically

Healthcare organizations; telemedicine providers; wellness programs; and employer health teams frequently use Google Drive to collaborate with patients, care teams, and partners. However Google Drive cannot detect PHI during upload or prevent files with health information from being stored or shared. Storing unprotected PHI violates HIPAA; and GDPR imposes strict requirements for special-category data such as health information.

Strac prevents PHI from ever entering Drive by blocking files that contain sensitive medical data before they sync or appear in folders.

Why Google Drive Cannot Reliably Block PHI

Google Drive does not inspect file contents prior to upload; cannot identify medical terminology or structured clinical data; and cannot stop files containing PHI from being saved, synced, or shared. Once the file is in Drive, exposure has already occurred; which violates HIPAA’s Privacy and Security Rules and GDPR’s processing restrictions for special-category data.

Google Drive lacks:
• PHI detection during upload;
• Pre-storage blocking workflows;
• HIPAA-specific content rules;
• OCR scanning for medical scans or photos;
• External/public sharing blocking for PHI files;
• Audit-ready logs for compliance investigations.

Strac fills this gap by blocking PHI-containing files before they are saved or shared.

What PHI Blocking Looks Like Inside Google Drive

PHI appears across many file formats stored in Drive; therefore blocking must detect both structured and unstructured medical data. HIPAA requires preventing unauthorized storage or disclosure of PHI; GDPR treats health data as requiring “strict protection.”

Strac blocks files containing:
• Patient identifiers with medical context
• Lab results and test values
• Clinical notes or treatment summaries
• EHR screenshots and patient portal images
• Insurance member IDs or claim details
• ICD/CPT medical billing codes
• Discharge summaries or referral documents
• Prescription or medication records
• Scanned medical forms or uploaded patient applications

Blocking applies to:
• My Drive
• Shared Drives
• Team Drives
• Publicly or externally shared folders
• Synced Google Drive desktop folders
• Third-party integrations that push files into Drive

When blocking occurs, Strac stops file storage instantly and provides the uploader with a customizable message explaining why the content was blocked.

✨How PHI Blocking Works in Google Drive with Strac

Strac performs deep content inspection at the Drive API layer using medical-context AI models, pattern recognition, and OCR for clinical documents. If PHI is detected, Strac blocks the upload; prevents file storage; and notifies the appropriate security and compliance personnel.

Blocking workflows include:
• Pre-upload PHI scanning
• Blocking PHI-containing files from being stored
• Preventing external or public sharing
• Sending alerts to Slack or email
• SIEM forwarding for SOC monitoring
• HIPAA-aligned audit logging
• Optional follow-up actions such as redaction or deletion

These workflows ensure that PHI never enters Drive unsafely.

How to Configure PHI Blocking in Google Drive with Strac

1. Connect Google Drive to Strac using OAuth.
2. Enable PHI Detection in the Strac policy dashboard.
3. Select Block as the remediation action.
4. Enable OCR to detect PHI inside PDFs, images, and scans.
5. Apply blocking policies across My Drive, Shared Drives, or targeted folders.
6. Configure alerts to Slack, SIEM, email, or ticketing systems.
7. Monitor blocked PHI events in the Strac dashboard for HIPAA reporting.

Why Strac Is the Best Way to Block PHI in Google Drive

Strac provides the most accurate PHI blocking available for Google Drive. With AI-powered detection, OCR for clinical images, HIPAA-compliant workflows, and real-time blocking, Strac ensures PHI never enters Drive or becomes accessible across internal or external collaborators.

Strac offers:
• Real-time PHI blocking across all Drive surfaces
• OCR-powered detection for medical documents and images
• HIPAA-compliant classification and remediation
• Access remediation for public or external file shares
• GDPR special-category data controls
• Bulk remediation and historical scanning
• Fast, no-code configuration

🌶️Spicy FAQs on How to Block PHI in Google Drive

Can Google Drive block PHI during upload?

No; Drive cannot inspect or block files based on medical content.

Does Strac block PHI inside scanned PDFs or screenshots?

Yes; OCR detects PHI even in image-based or scanned formats.

Does PHI blocking support HIPAA compliance?

Yes; blocking prevents unauthorized storage or disclosure of PHI.

Can Strac block PHI across Shared Drives used by multiple teams?

Yes; Strac enforces blocking policies across all Drive surfaces.

Will users receive a message when their file is blocked?

Yes; customizable user notifications can be enabled.

Try Strac for Google Drive PHI Blocking

Strac blocks PHI automatically before it reaches Google Drive; keeping your organization compliant with HIPAA and GDPR.