Question

What is the definition of incidental disclosure of PHI?

A) Accidental exposure of patient information
B) Deliberate sharing of patient information
C) Unauthorized access to medical records
D) Routine record-keeping

Answer 1

The correct answer is option A) Accidental exposure of patient information.

Step-by-step explanation:

The definition of incidental disclosure of PHI is A) Accidental exposure of patient information. Incidental disclosure refers to unintended revelation of Protected Health Information (PHI) that occurs as a byproduct of an otherwise permissible use or disclosure. For instance, this could happen during a routine healthcare provider conversation where someone overhears patient information, despite reasonable safeguards being implemented.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), passed into law in 1996, mandates the confidentiality of patient records and outlines the circumstances under which PHI may be used or disclosed. When it comes to disclosures, HIPAA acknowledges that some incidental uses and disclosures of PHI are inevitable but requires that covered entities apply reasonable safeguards and minimum necessary standards to protect patient privacy.