There are numerous HIPAA considerations for healthcare organizations to consider in the wake of a data breach, HealthITSecurity reports. For example, the report looks at the question of whether a hospital is obligated to provide information when facing subpoena or what qualifies as personal health information (PHI). “The HIPAA Privacy Rule states that there are several permitted uses and disclosures of PHI. This does not mean that covered entities are required to disclose PHI without an individual’s permission, but healthcare organizations are permitted to do so under certain circumstances,” the report states. “Essentially, covered entities and business associates must use their own judgement when determining if it is an appropriate situation to release PHI without an individual’s knowledge,” the report continues.
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