1. Health Privacy
  2. What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Protected health information means individually identifiable health information:

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition, that is:

  1. Transmitted by electronic media;
  2. Maintained in electronic media; or
  3. Transmitted or maintained in any other form or medium.

(2) Protected health information excludes individually identifiable health information:

  1. In education records covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, as amended,   20 U.S.C. 1232g;
  2. In records described at 20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(4)(B)(iv);
  3. In employment records held by a covered entity in its role as employer; and
  4. Regarding a person who has been deceased for more than 50 years.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. HIPAA Administrative Simplification. 3.26.2013. Retrieved from:  https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hipaa-simplification-201303.pdf Page 16.