PHI (Protected Health Information)
What is PHI?
Protected Health Information (PHI) refers to any individually identifiable health information that is created, received, stored, or transmitted by a Covered Entity or Business Associate in relation to the provision of healthcare. This can include data elements such as names, birth dates, medical diagnoses, insurance information, lab results, biometric identifiers, and even full-face photographs.
Under HIPAA, covered entities and business associates are required to keep PHI confidential and safe from unauthorized access. The HIPAA Privacy Rule specifically states that healthcare providers, clinics, and organizations must limit the use and disclosure of PHI to the Minimum Necessary Standard, and only to authorized individuals for valid purposes. Meanwhile, the HIPAA Security Rule imposes specific administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect electronic PHI (ePHI).
REMEMBER: It is not up to Covered Entities or Business Associates to decide which information qualifies as PHI. All information related to the provision of care must be protected equally.
How to Safeguard PHI?
PHI must be safeguarded to the extent that it is possible to identify each individual who accessed the data and when, and to prevent access to the data by any unauthorized individuals.
To ensure all personnel understand how to protect PHI in daily operations, healthcare entities must implement regular HIPAA compliance training. With HIPAA training, healthcare professionals and business associates can learn to identify PHI, prevent accidental disclosure, secure devices, and avoid phishing attempts that could compromise patient data.
One of the most common risks to PHI comes through digital communication. Sending unencrypted or insecure emails with patient information (even invoices or statements), can easily lead to breaches. This is one of the reasons why healthcare organizations are encouraged, and in certain cases required, to use HIPAA compliant email platforms that offer data encryption both in transit and in rest, secure logins with MFA, and access controls.
If PHI is accessed, used, or disclosed in a manner not permitted by HIPAA, the organization must conduct a breach risk assessment to determine the likelihood that the PHI has been compromised. If necessary, the incident must be reported, and patients must be notified. Non-compliance can result in substantial HIPAA breach penalties, which can include both monetary fines and reputational damage.
Ultimately, protecting PHI is about ensuring patient dignity and confidentiality. Any lapse in handling PHI not only puts the patient at risk but also the organization’s legal and ethical standing.
Related Terms
Two Factor Authentication
End-to-End Encryption
Privacy Policy