Claire Dawson
Protected Health Information (PHI) is a category of health information defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). PHI is any information in a medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and was created, used, or disclosed during healthcare service provision, such as diagnosis or treatment. PHI is protected from unauthorized access and impermissible disclosures, and individuals have the right to request copies of their PHI and request amendments if necessary. PHI includes information such as names, addresses, dates of birth, admission dates, discharge dates, and medical record numbers. Understanding what constitutes PHI is essential for covered entities to develop HIPAA-compliant policies and procedures, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of PHI.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is PHI? | Protected Health Information |
| What is included in PHI? | Any information in the medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and that was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service such as diagnosis or treatment |
| What is not included in PHI? | Identifying non-health information is not considered PHI under HIPAA when it is not maintained in the same designated record set as individually identifiable health information |
| What is an example of PHI? | A thank you card accompanying a baby picture that includes the name of the baby |
| What is an example of non-PHI? | An individual's name, telephone number, and address maintained in a separate database with no health information |
| What is an example of PHI? | A data set of vital signs that includes medical record numbers |
| What is an example of non-PHI? | An individual's name and telephone number when they call a dental surgery to make an appointment |
| What is an example of PHI? | Sponsored clinical trials that submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
| What is an example of non-PHI? | Research studies that use health-related information that is personally identifiable but not associated with or derived from a healthcare service event |
| What is an example of PHI? | Future health data associated with a prognosis, a forthcoming appointment, or a treatment plan |
| What is an example of non-PHI? | Psychotherapy notes maintained separately from the rest of the patient's medical record |
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What You'll Learn
- PHI is protected health information that can be used to identify an individual
- PHI is associated with a healthcare service event, e.g. treatment, payment, operations
- PHI must be protected from unauthorized access and impermissible disclosures
- PHI includes names, addresses, dates, and other personal identifiers
- Individuals have the right to request copies of their PHI and make amendments
PHI is protected health information that can be used to identify an individual
PHI, or Protected Health Information, is a category of health information that can be used to identify an individual. It is defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This rule stipulates the required, permissible, and prohibited uses and disclosures of PHI.
PHI includes any information in a medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service such as diagnosis or treatment. This can include names, addresses, and other geographic information, as well as dates of birth, admission, discharge, and death. It also includes future health data, such as prognoses, forthcoming appointments, and treatment plans, as this information could be used to commit identity theft and insurance fraud.
PHI also covers any non-health information included in the same designated record set as individually identifiable health information. For example, if a thank-you card with a baby's name accompanies a baby picture, the name must also be protected, even though it is not health information. If information about a third party, such as a family member or employer, is included in the designated record set and could be used to identify the subject of the PHI, this information also assumes protected status.
Covered entities and their workforces must understand what constitutes PHI to develop HIPAA-compliant policies and procedures and prevent impermissible uses and disclosures of PHI. They must also ensure that information that is not considered PHI is not secured unnecessarily, as this may prevent those who need access from doing their jobs. Individuals have the right to request copies of their PHI and to request amendments if the information is inaccurate or incomplete.
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PHI is associated with a healthcare service event, e.g. treatment, payment, operations
PHI, or Protected Health Information, is a key component of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual and is created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a healthcare service. This includes diagnosis, treatment, payment, or operations.
PHI is associated with a healthcare service event, such as treatment, payment, or operations, when it is obtained or generated as part of the provision of care or payment for care. For example, if an individual calls a dental surgery to book an appointment, their name and phone number are not initially considered PHI. However, once this information is added to a treatment record, it becomes PHI as it is now associated with a healthcare service event.
PHI can also include future health information, such as prognoses, treatment plans, and rehabilitation plans. This information must be protected as alterations or unauthorized access could have significant implications for patients. Additionally, any identifying information about an individual included in the same designated record set as PHI must also be protected, even if it is not directly related to health or payment information.
HIPAA regulations allow researchers to access and use PHI when necessary for their research. However, it is important to note that not all research is subject to HIPAA regulations. Only research that uses, creates, or discloses PHI that enters the medical record or is used for healthcare services falls under HIPAA. Researchers must also comply with the Privacy Rule, which stipulates the required, permissible, or authorized uses and disclosures of PHI.
Understanding what constitutes PHI is crucial for covered entities to develop HIPAA-compliant policies and procedures. It also enables individuals associated with covered entities to receive proper training and maintain the privacy and confidentiality of PHI.
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PHI must be protected from unauthorized access and impermissible disclosures
PHI, or Protected Health Information, is any information that can be used to identify an individual and was created, used, or disclosed during a health care service such as diagnosis or treatment. This includes information such as names, addresses, dates of birth, admission or discharge dates, and other identifiable health information.
Covered entities, which include health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, are responsible for ensuring that PHI is protected. They must have written policies and procedures in place to safeguard PHI and must train their employees on these policies. In the event of a breach, covered entities must notify affected individuals, the Secretary, and sometimes the media. They must also demonstrate that the probability of PHI being compromised is low.
To protect PHI from unauthorized access, it is recommended to use appropriate encryption and destruction techniques, such as those outlined in the HIPAA security rule. This ensures that PHI is rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized individuals. Additionally, when conducting research, it is important to remove any identifying information from PHI before sharing it to protect the individual's privacy.
Understanding what constitutes PHI is crucial for covered entities to develop compliant policies and procedures and to train their workforce accordingly. By doing so, they can ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI while also allowing authorized access when necessary.
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PHI includes names, addresses, dates, and other personal identifiers
Protected Health Information (PHI) is any information in a medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service. PHI includes names, addresses, dates, and other personal identifiers. For example, if an individual calls a dental surgery to book an appointment and leaves their name and phone number, this information is not considered PHI until it is added to a treatment record.
PHI is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which prevents inappropriate disclosures of PHI that could harm an individual's insurability, employability, or privacy. HIPAA regulations allow researchers to access and use PHI when conducting research. However, HIPAA only applies to research that uses, creates, or discloses PHI that enters medical records or is used for healthcare services.
PHI includes any of 18 elements identified by HIPAA, including names, addresses, and dates. All elements of dates (except the year) that are directly related to an individual, such as birth dates, admission dates, discharge dates, and dates of death, are considered PHI. Addresses are also considered PHI, including all geographic subdivisions smaller than a state, such as street addresses, cities, counties, and zip codes.
It is important to distinguish between PHI and PII (Personally Identifiable Information). PII is data used in research that is not considered PHI and is therefore not subject to the same privacy and security rules. PII may be derived directly from a participant, such as through a survey or interview, and is covered by other state and federal laws for privacy and confidentiality.
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Individuals have the right to request copies of their PHI and make amendments
PHI, or Protected Health Information, is any information in a designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and was created, used, or disclosed during the course of providing a health care service. This includes information such as names, addresses, dates (except the year), and other identifying information.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) gives individuals the right to access and obtain a copy of their health information. This includes the right to request amendments if their PHI is inaccurate or incomplete. This is known as the Privacy Rule, which requires covered entities, such as health plans and health care providers, to provide individuals with access to their PHI upon request. The Privacy Rule also allows covered entities to require that individuals request access in writing and verify their identity.
To comply with access and amendment requests, covered entities need to know where PHI is maintained and if it is duplicated across multiple designated records sets. This is important because failing to provide a copy of PHI or producing an incomplete amendment could result in complaints to the HHS' Office for Civil Rights. In most cases, the documentation must be provided within 30 days, which will soon be reduced to 15 days.
Individuals also have the right to request an alternative means or location for receiving communications of their PHI. For example, an individual may request that the provider communicate through a designated address or phone number or send communications in a closed envelope. Health plans must accommodate these requests if the individual indicates that the disclosure of PHI could endanger them.
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Frequently asked questions
PHI stands for Protected Health Information.
PHI is any information in the medical record or designated record set that can be used to identify an individual and that was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service such as diagnosis or treatment.
PHI includes information such as names, addresses, admission dates, discharge dates, birth dates, and medical record numbers.
Yes, non-health information that is not maintained in the same designated record set as identifiable health information is not considered PHI. For example, an individual's name, telephone number, and address are not considered PHI if maintained separately from health information.
Yes, researchers can access and use PHI when necessary to conduct research, as long as it is in accordance with HIPAA regulations and the Privacy Rule.
