Anything that could enable the identity of a person to be assertained should be protected from unauthorized release. Addresses, phone numbers, and precise demographics, and diagnoses and procedures are all part of Personal Health Information (PHI).
The purpose of HIPAA is two-fold. Everyone concentrates on the privacy/security portion and ignores the other half that requires standardization and interoperability for the transmission of personal healthcare information between the people who have a valid need for it. Insurance agencies need that information from care givers for proper billing. Care givers need that information for proper care, especially for the medical history and physical conditions of the patient. The government needs that information for identification of adverse health trends, and for allocation of health care funding. Individuals need that information on themselves to understand their conditions, the care provided, and what their options are. Quality improvement organizations need that information in order to advance medical knowledge and technology.
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