What mandates the protection of patients' personal health information?

• A. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
• B. Nurse Practice Act
• C. Patient Bill of Rights
• D. Medical Records Act

Answer: (A)

Protecting patients’ personal health information is governed by HIPAA, which sets national standards for the privacy and security of health information. It defines who may access PHI, the circumstances under which it can be disclosed, and patients’ rights to access, amend, and obtain records, as well as how electronic PHI must be safeguarded. This means healthcare providers, insurers, and their business associates must implement safeguards—administrative, physical, and technical—to protect confidentiality and limit disclosures to the minimum necessary.

The other options don’t provide the same comprehensive, nationwide protections. A Nurse Practice Act governs nursing licensure and scope of practice, not the specific handling of patient information. The Patient Bill of Rights outlines general patient rights but does not establish the detailed legal framework for protecting health data. A Medical Records Act may exist in some places but isn’t the universal standard that mandates PHI privacy and security across all health care settings. HIPAA is the standard that specifically protects personal health information.