Final answer:
According to HIPAA rules, Protected Health Information (PHI) must be handled confidentially and includes identifiers such as names, numbers, and dates, which cannot be disclosed without patient consent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Protected Health Information (PHI) must be handled with the utmost confidentiality. PHI includes any information in a medical record that can be used to identify an individual, and which was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a healthcare service, such as a diagnosis or treatment. Therefore, healthcare workers cannot disclose identifiable patient information, which encompasses names, numbers (like Social Security numbers or medical record numbers), dates (such as birthdates and appointment dates), and any other particulars that can reveal who the patient is without the patient's explicit consent.
Legal considerations, such as those outlined by HIPAA, require healthcare providers to maintain strict confidentiality unless there is a legally recognized exception. PHI should be shredded when discarded to ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands. Additionally, informed consent is fundamental before sharing any patient's healthcare information, safeguarding their privacy rights and maintaining the trust between patient and healthcare provider.