Under HIPAA, what must a covered entity do when handling PHI?

Under HIPAA, the minimum necessary rule requires covered entities to take reasonable steps to limit the use, disclosure, and requests for protected health information (PHI) to only the information necessary to accomplish a specific purpose. This means that when a healthcare provider, health plan, or any entity covered by HIPAA is handling PHI, they must evaluate the information needed and restrict access to only what is essential for medical treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

For example, if a physician is referring a patient to a specialist, they should share only the relevant medical information that the specialist needs to provide appropriate care, rather than the entire medical record. This approach helps to protect patient privacy and comply with HIPAA regulations, which aim to strike a balance between the necessity of sharing health information and protecting the confidentiality of individuals' health data.