* Protected Health Information (PHI) can be disclosed under specific circumstances permitted by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
* Disclosures may occur for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without patient authorization.
* Patient authorization is required for disclosures not related to treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, except in certain circumstances such as public health activities or as required by law.
* PHI disclosures should be limited to the minimum necessary information required to accomplish the intended purpose.
* Covered entities must have policies and procedures in place to ensure HIPAA-compliant disclosures and train their workforce on these
policies.
* Patients have the right to request an accounting of disclosures, which includes a list of instances where their PHI has been disclosed.
* Unauthorized disclosures of PHI may result in legal and financial penalties for covered entities.
