What does PHI stand for?

Protected Health Information (PHI) is a term that refers to any information held by a covered entity that concerns health status, provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to an individual. PHI is a crucial concept in health information privacy and is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This legislation establishes national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information, ensuring that such information is kept confidential and secure.

The other options, while they might seem similar, do not accurately reflect the formal definition set forth by HIPAA. "Personal Health Information" and "Private Health Information" are not recognized terms in the same legal context, and "Public Health Information" refers to data that might be shared with the public for general knowledge and does not have the same measures of protection as PHI. Understanding that PHI specifically signifies "Protected" health information clarifies its importance in safeguarding individual health data from unauthorized access or disclosures.