What is considered Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Protected Health Information (PHI) is defined as any identifiable health information that relates to an individual's physical or mental health, healthcare provision, or payment for healthcare. This includes a wide range of information that can identify an individual, such as names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, medical records, and any other data that could be used to identify a person in the context of their health.

The scope of PHI encompasses identifiable health information in any form—whether electronic, paper, or oral. This broad definition is key to ensuring that privacy protections are extended across all modes of health information transmission and storage. PHI is particularly safeguarded under HIPAA regulations, making it critical to be aware of what constitutes this sensitive category of information.

In contrast, publicly available information does not constitute PHI because it does not involve identifiable health information that can be linked to an individual. Similarly, information shared exclusively with insurance companies does not encompass all potential PHI scenarios, as PHI can be shared in many contexts beyond just insurance. Finally, data stored solely in government health databases also does not fully represent the entirety of PHI, as it can exist in various forms and places. Thus, identifying any health information that can be tied to an individual irrespective