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HIPAA Compliance Solutions > Definition of Key Terms
Definition of Key Terms
Individually Identifiable Health Information (IIFI):
Information, including demographic data, that is created or received by the health care provider which identifies the individual; typically, it relates to the health-related condition of the individual and/or to payment information about the individual.
Protected Health Information (PHI):
Any patient-identifiable information, regardless of its media form, is now protected health information.
ePHI:
PHI in electronic form (e.g., in an e-mail, in a file on your PC or thumb drive, etc.).
Business Associate:
A person or entity that provides services to the covered entity, but is not a workforce member of the covered entity (e.g., billing services, legal, accounting, IT support, etc.).
Business Associate Contract or Agreement:
A document demonstrating that the covered entity has obtained assurance that the business associate will appropriately safeguard PHI.
Covered Entity:
Any health care provider that provides or pays the cost of medical care, including:
- physicians
- hospitals
- dentists
- clinics
- pharmacies
- laboratories
- chiropractors
- physical therapists
Health plans and health care clearinghouses (including billing services that change the form of PHI into ePHI) are also covered entities.
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