Personal Health Information (PHI)

A Personal Health Information (PHI) is a patient health record that contains PII data.

• Context:
  • It can (typically) be used by a Healthcare Professional to identify a patient.
  • …
• Example(s):
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Non-Personal Health Information.
• See: U.S. Business Associate Agreement (BAA).

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References

2021

• https://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/personal-health-information
  • QUOTE: ... Protected health information (PHI), also referred to as personal health information, is the demographic information, medical histories, test and laboratory results, mental health conditions, insurance information and other data that a healthcare professional collects to identify an individual and determine appropriate care. ...

    ... HIPAA lists 18 different information identifiers that, when paired with health information, become PHI. Some of these identifiers on their own can allow an individual to be identified, contacted or located. Others must be combined with other information to identify a person. This list includes the following:

   name;
   address (anything smaller than a state);
   dates (except years) related to an individual -- birthdate, admission date, etc.;
   phone number;
   fax number;
   email address;
   Social Security number;
   medical record number;
   health plan beneficiary number;
   account number;
   certificate or license number;
   vehicle identifiers, such as serial numbers, license plate numbers;
   device identifiers and serial numbers;
   web URL;
   Internet Protocol (IP) address;
   biometric IDs, such as a fingerprint or voice print;
   full-face photographs and other photos of identifying characteristics; and
   any other unique identifying characteristic.

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