WHAT INFORMATION IS COVERED BY HIPAA?
Protected Health Information (PHI) is the core focus of HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. PHI is defined as individually-identifiable information, created or received by a covered entity, that relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, the delivery of health care, or payment for health care. PHI can be electronic, paper, or oral. Practically speaking, PHI is found throughout the health care setting: in clinic charts, billing records, rounding lists, medical media, electronic databases, in conversation, faxes, and emails. There are strict guidelines under HIPAA regarding when PHI may be considered de-identified or no longer identifiable. It is important to remember that HIPAA does not preempt or block many state laws relating to public health or state laws that provide patients with more stringent, or greater, privacy protections. In addition, HIPAA does not block certain Federal privacy laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the fed
