Which law protects patient privacy and security of health information?

• A. Informed consent
• B. Ethics committee
• C. Infection control
• D. HIPAA

Answer: (D)

HIPAA protects patient privacy and the security of health information by setting nationwide standards for how protected health information is used, disclosed, and safeguarded. It includes the Privacy Rule, which gives patients rights over their records and limits who can access them; the Security Rule, which requires administrative, physical, and technical safeguards; and the Breach Notification Rule, which requires reporting of breaches. In practical terms, it means clinicians, hospitals, and insurers must protect PHI and handle it confidentially in both paper and electronic forms. Informed consent relates to permission for treatment or sharing information in specific contexts, not the overall privacy protections; ethics committees oversee research protections; infection control focuses on preventing infections. HIPAA is the law that directly governs privacy and security of health information.