Medical Auditing Practice Exam

What constitutes a violation of patient privacy regarding PHI disposal?

1. Shredding documents

2. Throwing documents in the regular trash

3. Storing documents securely for future reference

4. Burning documents securely

The correct answer is: Throwing documents in the regular trash

A violation of patient privacy regarding the disposal of protected health information (PHI) occurs when sensitive documents are not handled properly. When documents containing PHI are simply thrown in the regular trash, they can easily be accessed by unauthorized individuals. This careless disposal method fails to protect patient information from potential breaches and does not comply with regulations like HIPAA, which mandates that PHI be disposed of in a manner that protects patients’ privacy. In contrast, methods such as shredding documents and burning them securely are appropriate means of disposal that ensure that the information cannot be reconstructed or retrieved. Storing documents securely, while it is a good practice for managing PHI, does not pertain directly to its disposal but focuses on safeguarding it during storage. Therefore, the correct identification of a privacy violation in this context highlights the importance of proper PHI disposal methods to maintain patient confidentiality.