According to HIPAA, which type of health information is identifiable?

Health information is considered identifiable under HIPAA when it can be traced back to an individual, making it possible to associate specific medical or personal details directly with that person. This definition encompasses any data elements that, alone or in combination, could lead to the identification of the individual. Identifiable information includes names, geographic information smaller than a state, birth dates, and any unique identifiers assigned to an individual, such as Social Security numbers.

The distinction is crucial because HIPAA aims to protect personal privacy by restricting access and sharing of identifiable health information. By highlighting that identifiable health information can be directly linked to a specific individual, HIPAA ensures that sensitive medical records remain confidential and are handled in a manner that protects against unauthorized access and disclosure.

In contrast, general public health data, records of patient visits, and aggregated health statistics may include information that is not personally identifiable. For example, aggregated health statistics combine data from multiple individuals, making it impossible to identify any single person from that data. Similarly, general public health data might provide insights into population health trends without revealing individual identities. Therefore, the focus on the ability to trace health information back to an individual is what solidifies the understanding of identifiable health information under HIPAA.