Under HIPAA, how should protected health information be handled in PA practice?

• A. HIPAA does not apply to clinics.
• B. Share freely with family without authorization.
• C. HIPAA does not apply to clinics.
• D. Only disclose as necessary for treatment, payment, and operations; obtain consent where required; protect confidentiality; train staff.

Answer: (C)

HIPAA governs how protected health information is used and shared, with strict limits on disclosures and a requirement to protect confidentiality. In practice for a PA, PHI should be disclosed only as necessary for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. If you want to use or disclose PHI for purposes beyond those three areas, you generally need the patient’s authorization, unless a specific exception applies. You also have to obtain consent where required by law, maintain safeguards to protect confidentiality, and ensure staff are trained on privacy policies and the minimum-necessary standard. So the best approach is to disclose only as needed for treatment, payment, and operations, obtain consent when required, protect confidentiality, and train staff.