Is de-identified data confidential?

Data is considered de-identified under the Privacy Rule when a number of specified data elements are removed. (45 C.F.R. §§ 164.502(d)(2), 164.514(a) and (b).) De-identified data is not regulated by HIPAA and may be shared without restriction.

Is de-identified information protected by the Privacy Rule?

Regardless of the method by which de-identification is achieved, the Privacy Rule does not restrict the use or disclosure of de-identified health information, as it is no longer considered protected health information.

What is de-identified patient information?

De-identified patient data is health information from a medical record that has been stripped of all “direct identifiers”—that is, all information that can be used to identify the patient from whose medical record the health information was derived.

What is de-identification of PHI?

The HIPAA safe harbor method is a method of de-identification of protected health information. De-identification is the removal of specific information about a patient that can be used alone or in combination with other information to identify that patient.

What is the difference between a limited data set and de-identified data?

A: Limited data sets are data sets stripped of certain direct identifiers that are specified in the Privacy Rule. Limited data sets may be used or disclosed only for public health, research, or health care operations purposes. They are not de-identified information under the Privacy Rule.

What is the difference between Anonymization and Pseudonymization?

In pseudonymization, the sensitive data is replaced in such a way that it can be re-identified with the help of an identifier (additional information). In short, while anonymization eliminates direct re-identification risk, pseudonymization substitutes the identifiable data with a reversible, consistent value.

When a patient wants a copy of their PHI?

When a patient requests to inspect or obtain a copy of their PHI, you must comply in a timely manner. First, inform the patient you accepted the request and then provide the access no later than 30 days after receiving the request.

What PHI can be disclosed if it has been de-identified?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule states that once data has been de-identified, covered entities can use or disclose it without any limitation. The information is no longer considered PHI, and does not fall under the same regulations and restrictions as PHI.

Why is de-identification important?

De-identification is a unique tool that allows for data to be used in business in many more ways that no other security tools, such as encryption or access controls, can provide, while also lessening privacy risks.

How do I collect de-identified data?

Common strategies include deleting or masking personal identifiers, such as personal name, and suppressing or generalizing quasi-identifiers, such as date of birth. The reverse process of using de-identified data to identify individuals is known as data re-identification.

What are some examples of PHI?

Examples of PHI

• Patient names.
• Addresses — In particular, anything more specific than state, including street address, city, county, precinct, and in most cases zip code, and their equivalent geocodes.
• Dates — Including birth, discharge, admittance, and death dates.
• Telephone and fax numbers.
• Email addresses.

What can a limited data set include?

Definition of Limited Data Set

• names;
• street addresses (other than town, city, state and zip code);
• telephone numbers;
• fax numbers;
• e-mail addresses;
• Social Security numbers;
• medical records numbers;
• health plan beneficiary numbers;

How does de-identification protect the privacy of an individual?

“De-identification” is the general term for the process of removing personal information from a record or data set. De-identification protects the privacy of individuals because once de- identified, a data set is considered to no longer contain personal information.

What does de-identification of data mean in HIPAA?

De-Identification of Data: Breaking Down HIPAA Rules. The removal of specified individual identifiers as well as absence of actual knowledge by the covered entity that the remaining information could be used alone or in combination with other information to identify the individual.

Why is de-identification of Phi not protected by privacy?

De-identified health information created following these methods is no longer protected by the Privacy Rule because it does not fall within the definition of PHI. Of course, de-identification leads to information loss which may limit the usefulness of the resulting health information in certain circumstances.

Why do we need de identification in healthcare?

The last thing you want is a rigid security tool that doesn’t align with your workflow and generates useless test data. The Delphix de-identification technology allows healthcare organizations to leverage useful data without compromising privacy.