PHI (Protected Health Information)
Individually identifiable health information that is protected under HIPAA.
Protected Health Information (PHI) is any individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associates. PHI includes information about: an individual's past, present, or future physical or mental health condition; healthcare provided to an individual; and past, present, or future payment for healthcare. HIPAA identifies 18 types of identifiers that make health information 'individually identifiable,' including names, dates, phone numbers, geographic data, SSN, medical record numbers, health plan numbers, account numbers, vehicle identifiers, device identifiers, URLs, IP addresses, biometric identifiers, photographs, and any other unique identifying number. Electronic PHI (ePHI) is PHI that is stored or transmitted electronically.