NURS FPX 4045 Assessment 2 Protected Health Information

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4045 Nursing Informatics: Managing Health Information and Technology

Prof. Name

Date

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Protected Health Information (PHI) refers to any identifiable data related to an individual’s health status, treatment, or payment that can be used to recognize them. This includes patient names, birthdates, addresses, prescribed medications, diagnostic results, and insurance or billing information (Pool et al., 2024). In the context of telehealth, handling PHI with high levels of care is essential to building patient trust and ensuring compliance with federal regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA is fundamental in safeguarding the confidentiality of PHI across healthcare settings in the United States. It grants patients legal control over their personal health data and strictly prohibits unauthorized disclosure (Lindsey et al., 2025). HIPAA outlines specific rules that are particularly important in digital health services, such as telehealth, where electronic health information (EHI) is routinely transmitted and stored.

HIPAA Rules and Examples

HIPAA Rule	Description	Example
Security Rule	Requires protective measures to defend EHI from cyber threats.	Use of unsecured video software during virtual visits can result in data breaches.
Privacy Rule	Controls the release of PHI without consent and grants patient access rights.	Hosting a session in a shared space risks unintentional information exposure.
Confidentiality Rule	Ensures that any PHI transmitted remains private and secure.	Sending patient details via public platforms like social media compromises PHI.

Interdisciplinary Protection of Electronic Health Information (EHI)

The protection of EHI in telehealth relies heavily on a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach involving clinical teams, administrators, security personnel, and IT staff. Each team plays a distinct yet interconnected role in reinforcing data security protocols and mitigating potential vulnerabilities (Pool et al., 2023). For instance, clinicians undergo security training and adhere to HIPAA protocols during remote sessions. Administrators are responsible for formulating data policies and managing resource allocation. Security staff perform routine audits to identify unauthorized access, while IT professionals implement encryption protocols and secure transmission systems.

Interdisciplinary Roles in EHI Protection

Role	Responsibility
Clinical Staff	Apply security practices during telehealth interactions; attend cybersecurity training.
Administrators	Establish policies, ensure HIPAA compliance, and allocate budgets for data safeguards.
Security Personnel	Monitor data access, conduct audits, and prevent data breaches.
Technical Staff	Implement secure systems like firewalls, encrypted communication tools, and VPNs.

A prime example is Cleveland Clinic’s strategy, which demonstrates the success of a coordinated framework in protecting patient data (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

Additionally, healthcare professionals must be particularly careful about their online behavior. Sharing PHI or clinical interactions on social media can lead to serious legal and professional consequences. There are multiple cases where such violations led to termination, fines, or even imprisonment.

Incident	Consequence
Nurse assistant shared a revealing video of a patient (2016).	Dismissed from employment.
Oral surgeon posted PHI on a public review site (2019).	Fined \$10,000.
Staff nurse uploaded a patient video online.	Imprisoned for one month and fired.
Green Ridge Behavioral Healthcare breached 14,000 records.	Penalized with a \$40,000 fine.

Practices and Strategies for PHI Protection in Digital Environments

To effectively protect EHI during telehealth engagements, healthcare institutions must adopt a combination of technological, procedural, and educational strategies. For instance, deploying encryption protocols like Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), conducting routine system audits, and training employees on digital security best practices are vital.

Best Practices for EHI Protection

Practice	Description	Example
Implementing Robust Security	Use of advanced encryption and firewall systems.	Mayo Clinic leverages SSL to secure data transfers (Mayo Clinic, 2024).
Performing Safety Audits	Regular evaluations to identify security gaps in telehealth systems.	MGH runs routine internal audits for patient privacy (MGH, n.d.).
Organizing Cybersecurity Workshops	Educational sessions on secure digital practices.	Training sessions prepare staff to use HIPAA-compliant platforms during virtual care.

Healthcare professionals must also observe strict social media protocols to avoid exposing PHI. Organizations should maintain clear policies that prohibit discussing or sharing patient-related content online. Moreover, staff should be discouraged from interacting with patients on social platforms and must avoid using these platforms to transmit any healthcare-related information. Establishing a breach reporting system is equally important for prompt incident resolution and minimizing damage.

Conduct mandatory HIPAA and social media training regularly (Alder, 2025).
Implement policies forbidding sharing of patient information online.
Promote secure, encrypted communication channels for professional dialogue.
Develop clear breach-reporting procedures for quick intervention and resolution.

References

Alder, S. (2023). HIPAA and social media rules – Updated for 2023. The HIPAA Journal. https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-social-media/

Alder, S. (2023). HIPAA privacy rule – Updated for 2023. The HIPAA Journal. https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-privacy-rule/

Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Holistic, multidisciplinary approach protects patient data and privacy. Cleveland Clinic.org. https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/holistic-multidisciplinary-approach-protects-patient-data-and-privacy/

NURS FPX 4045 Assessment 2 Protected Health Information

Lindsey, D., Sniker, R., Travers, C., Budhwani, H., Richardson, M., Quisney, R., & Shukla, V. V. (2023). When HIPAA hurts: Legal barriers to texting may reinforce healthcare disparities and disenfranchise vulnerable patients. Journal of Perinatology, 45(2), 278–281. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-00805-5

Mayo Clinic. (2024). Privacy policy. Mayo Clinic.org. https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-this-site/privacy-policy

MGH. (n.d.). Protect our patients’ privacy. Massachusetts General Hospital.org. https://www.massgeneral.org/assets/MGH/pdf/research/mgh-privacy-presentation.pdf

Moore, W., & Frye, S. (2020). Review of HIPAA, part 2: Infractions, rights, violations, and role for the imaging technologist. Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology, 48(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnmt.119.227827

Pool, J., Akhlaghpour, S., Fatehi, F., & Burton-Jones, A. (2023). A systematic analysis of failures in protecting personal health data: A scoping review. International Journal of Information Management, 74, 102719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102719