Question

Which of the following would NOT be considered an example of PHI?

1) Photos of an injury
2) Headshot
3) Driver's license number
4) Diagnosis
5) Email address
6) The name of the medical clinic that a patient receives care at
7) Results of pending studies
8) Type of insurance
9) Fax number
10) Home phone number
11) Cell phone number
12) Home address
13) Social security number
14) MRN
15) DOB
16) None of the above

Answer 1

A headshot would not be considered an example of PHI unless it is connected to specific medical information or treatment that could identify an individual. HIPAA considers information that can be linked to an individual's health as Protected Health Information.

Step-by-step explanation:

Regarding patient information, PHI stands for Protected Health Information and is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which strictly regulates the privacy and security of an individual's medical records and other health information. Generally, PHI includes any health information that can be linked to an individual. Examples of PHI include a patient's diagnosis, medical record number (MRN), and other personal details like date of birth (DOB) and social security number that could be used to identify a patient.

From the given list, the one entry which would NOT be considered an example of PHI is a headshot, if the picture is just a general photo without context tying it to specific medical information or treatment. Generic photographs that cannot be linked specifically to a person's health information or used to identify a patient do not meet the criteria for PHI under HIPAA. In contrast, photos of injuries or other items in the list such as a driver's license number, clinic name, or insurance information which could be used to identify the individual's health-related information are considered PHI.