Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Which of the following involves electronic data associated with PHI?

1. Data not requiring any identification

2. Systematic health record documentation only

3. Electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI)

4. Only verbal communications

The correct answer is: Electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI)

The choice regarding Electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI) is correct because e-PHI specifically refers to any protected health information that is created, received, maintained, or transmitted in electronic form. This designation is essential under HIPAA as it outlines the safeguards and regulations necessary to protect individuals' health information, especially in an increasingly digital healthcare environment. e-PHI encompasses a wide range of electronic data types, including but not limited to electronic health records, billing information, and communications that contain identifiable health information. The focus on "electronic" highlights the unique security measures that must be implemented to ensure that this type of information is protected from unauthorized access or breaches. The other choices fail to capture the specific relationship between electronic formats and protected health information. Data without any identifiable information does not fall under the purview of PHI and therefore does not require the same level of protection. Systematic health record documentation focuses solely on the physical or paper aspects, while verbal communications do not involve electronic data at all, thus missing the core concept of e-PHI.