Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a required safeguard under the HIPAA Security Rule?

1. Regular staff meetings for discussing patient care

2. Annual training on privacy policies

3. Data encryption for electronic health records

4. Feedback systems for patient complaints

The correct answer is: Data encryption for electronic health records

Data encryption for electronic health records is an essential required safeguard under the HIPAA Security Rule. This rule mandates that covered entities implement various technical safeguards to protect electronic protected health information (ePHI) from unauthorized access and breaches. Encryption is one of the most effective measures for ensuring that sensitive data is unreadable to unauthorized individuals, thereby maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of patient information. In contrast, while regular staff meetings, training on privacy policies, and feedback systems for patient complaints may be beneficial organizational practices, they do not fall under the mandated technical safeguards specified by the HIPAA Security Rule. Employee training is important for compliance and awareness, but it is not classified as a required safeguard in the same technical sense as encryption.