← Back to glossary

US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy/security rules for PHI.

Definition

HIPAA establishes requirements for covered entities and business associates to protect protected health information (PHI), including safeguards, minimum necessary use, and breach notification rules.

In plain English US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy/security rules for PHI.

Why this matters

Why it matters: It constrains handling of sensitive medical data and requires security controls and accountability.

Example

Example: Access controls and audit logs for patient record systems; breach reporting if PHI is exposed.