Define 'PHI'.

Define 'PHI'.

• A. Protected Health Information is any individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by a covered entity.
• B. Public Health Information that is released to the press.
• C. Personal Health Insurance information.
• D. Physical Health Interaction data.

Answer: (A)

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. It covers health information about an individual that is created, received, stored, or transmitted by a covered entity (like a provider, health plan, or their business associate) and that can identify the person. Importantly, this information must be linked to the person and can exist in any format—electronic, paper, or even spoken aloud. That’s why the first option is the best: it states that PHI is health information about care or payment for care that is individually identifiable and held or transmitted by a covered entity. Examples include a medical chart, lab results, or a billing statement that includes a patient’s name. The other choices describe things that aren’t PHI in this context (public press releases, insurance information by itself, or an unrelated term).

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. It covers health information about an individual that is created, received, stored, or transmitted by a covered entity (like a provider, health plan, or their business associate) and that can identify the person. Importantly, this information must be linked to the person and can exist in any format—electronic, paper, or even spoken aloud. That’s why the first option is the best: it states that PHI is health information about care or payment for care that is individually identifiable and held or transmitted by a covered entity. Examples include a medical chart, lab results, or a billing statement that includes a patient’s name. The other choices describe things that aren’t PHI in this context (public press releases, insurance information by itself, or an unrelated term).