Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What can a patient request regarding their PHI disclosures?

1. That all disclosures be made public

2. That all PHI records be destroyed

3. That disclosures be restricted

4. That no one obtains their PHI

The correct answer is: That disclosures be restricted

A patient has the right to request that disclosures of their Protected Health Information (PHI) be restricted. This right is established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which gives individuals control over their health information. Patients may not want certain information shared with specific individuals or entities, and they can request that their healthcare providers limit the sharing of their PHI to only essential disclosures or, in some cases, exclude certain parties altogether. The ability to restrict disclosures enables patients to protect their privacy and ensures that only the information they consent to share is distributed. This is particularly important when sensitive health information is involved, and the patient may have valid concerns about the confidentiality of their data. In contrast, requesting that all disclosures be made public would undermine privacy rights; requesting that all PHI records be destroyed could conflict with legal obligations to retain certain health records; and requesting that no one obtains their PHI is impractical, as healthcare providers must have access to necessary information to provide care. Each of these scenarios does not align with legal frameworks that balance patient privacy with the operational needs of healthcare providers.