What is a breach of PHI under HIPAA?

A breach of Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is defined as an impermissible use or disclosure of PHI that compromises the security or privacy of the information. This means that if PHI is accessed, disclosed, or used in a manner that violates HIPAA's privacy and security rules, and this action results in a significant risk of harm to the individual whose information is affected, it qualifies as a breach.

The essence of this definition revolves around the concepts of "impermissible" and "compromises." For instance, if a healthcare provider inadvertently shares patient information with unauthorized personnel or fails to secure patient records leading to external exposure, it constitutes a breach. This standard emphasizes both the unauthorized nature of the action and the potential impact on individuals' privacy or the security of their health information.

Other options do not align with the definition set forth by HIPAA. For example, a failure in technology that results in data loss pertains more to the operational aspects of security rather than a breach involving unauthorized access or disclosure. Similarly, an approved sharing of information is entirely legitimate under HIPAA and does not constitute a breach. Lastly, unauthorized access to patient medical records is serious but must