Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) Practice Exam

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Which statement best defines protected health information (PHI)?

  1. Non-electronic medical records

  2. Health information that can be used to identify a patient

  3. All health-related data in the public domain

  4. Information used solely for administrative purposes

The correct answer is: Health information that can be used to identify a patient

Protected Health Information (PHI) is defined as any health information that can be used to identify an individual patient. This includes a variety of data, such as names, dates of birth, social security numbers, medical records, and any information that can directly or indirectly relate to a specific patient. The essence of PHI is its ability to link health data with an individual, which is crucial for protecting patient privacy and providing patients control over their own health information under regulations like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). In contrast, non-electronic medical records do not encompass all formats or contexts in which personal health information may be shared. Similarly, health-related data in the public domain does not qualify as PHI because it is accessible to anyone and cannot be used to identify a specific patient. Information solely used for administrative purposes may or may not contain identifiers, thus it does not ensure the connection to an individual patient, further diminishing its relevance as PHI. The correct definition emphasizes the need for the capability to identify a patient when discussing health information, which is crucial for maintaining confidentiality and privacy.