PHI & Data
Individually Identifiable Health Information
Health information that identifies, or could identify, a specific person: the basis of PHI.
Individually Identifiable Health Information is health information, including demographic data, that relates to a person's health, care, or payment for care, and that identifies the individual or could reasonably be used to identify them.
When this information is held or transmitted by a covered entity or business associate, it becomes protected health information (PHI) and is subject to HIPAA. Removing its identifiers through de-identification takes it outside HIPAA's scope.