Final answer:
HIPAA's 'minimum necessary' and related standards require healthcare workers to only access and disclose the minimum amount of information necessary for their job responsibilities, and to implement safeguards to protect patient information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets the standards for protecting patient information. One of the key requirements is the 'minimum necessary' principle, which means that healthcare workers should only access and disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to perform their job responsibilities.
For example, if a healthcare worker needs to share a patient's information with another healthcare provider for medical treatment, they should only share the specific information that is relevant to the treatment. They should not disclose unnecessary details or more information than is required for the specific purpose.
HIPAA also requires healthcare workers to implement safeguards to protect patient information, such as using secure electronic systems and encryption to store and transmit data. They must also limit access to patient information to only authorized individuals who need it for their job responsibilities.