What constitutes Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Protected Health Information (PHI) specifically refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual and relates to their health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care services. This definition encapsulates a broad spectrum of details, including medical records, test results, treatment history, and any data that could potentially be used to trace back to an individual’s health-related situations.

In contrast, public health reports do not fall under PHI because they are typically aggregated data that do not identify individual patients. Statistical health trends also do not constitute PHI, as they tend to summarize information across large populations without revealing individual identities. While employee health benefits information may involve personal data about employees, it does not typically qualify as PHI unless it includes specific health information tied to individuals receiving those benefits. Thus, the choice that best encapsulates PHI is information relating to health status and care, as it covers individual health details that are protected under privacy laws.