Final answer:
The "minimum necessary" rule is a guidance provided by HIPAA for healthcare professionals. It states that healthcare professionals should only use or disclose the minimum amount of protected health information necessary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The "minimum necessary" rule is a guidance provided by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for healthcare professionals. This rule states that healthcare professionals should only use or disclose the minimum amount of protected health information necessary to accomplish the intended purpose. The purpose is to safeguard patient privacy and ensure that healthcare professionals are not accessing or sharing more information than necessary.
For example, if a patient requests their medical records from a healthcare provider, the healthcare professional should only provide the specific information that is relevant to the patient's request and not include any unnecessary or unrelated information.
By following the "minimum necessary" rule, healthcare professionals can ensure that patient information is not unnecessarily exposed and that privacy is respected.