Which regulation addresses health information privacy and patient data protection?

• A. Infection Control
• B. Americans with Disabilities Act
• C. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• D. Bloodborne Pathogens

Answer: (C)

HIPAA governs health information privacy and protection of patient data. It creates rules for how protected health information (PHI) can be used and disclosed (the Privacy Rule), requires safeguards for electronic PHI (the Security Rule), and mandates notification if a privacy breach occurs (the Breach Notification Rule). In EMS and other healthcare settings, this means you share only the minimum necessary information with authorized people and keep patient records secure from unauthorized access.

Infection control deals with preventing the spread of disease, not protecting patient privacy. The Americans with Disabilities Act focuses on civil rights and accessibility for individuals with disabilities, not data privacy. Bloodborne pathogens guidelines address safety and exposure risk for handling infectious materials, not how patient information is protected.