Which of the following is considered protected health information (PHI)?

Protected Health Information (PHI) encompasses a wide variety of information that can be used to identify an individual and relates to their health status or health care. All the options listed, including patient names, social security numbers, and computer IP addresses, fall under this category.

Patient names are straightforward examples of PHI since they directly identify individuals receiving health care services. Social security numbers also qualify as PHI because they are unique identifiers that, when linked to health information, can reveal private details about an individual.

Computer IP addresses can be more complex. While they may not seem like traditional personal identifiers, they can still be considered PHI when they are associated with health-related data. For instance, if an IP address is linked to an individual’s health record, it becomes part of their protected health information due to its potential to identify or track an individual.

Thus, the inclusion of all these options under the umbrella of PHI highlights the broad scope of what constitutes protected health information in a healthcare setting.