Which statement best summarizes the primary goal of HIPAA?

• A. Protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without patient consent or knowledge
• B. Allow sharing of patient records for research without consent
• C. Ensure patient records are always publicly accessible
• D. Eliminate patient privacy in emergencies

Answer: (A)

Protecting patient privacy and the confidentiality of health information is the main aim of HIPAA. The Privacy Rule limits who can access or disclose protected health information and generally requires patient consent for disclosures, while still allowing information to be shared when it’s necessary for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. This focus on preventing inappropriate disclosures is why safeguarding PHI without patient consent or knowledge best captures HIPAA’s purpose. The other ideas misstate HIPAA’s intent: it does not promote unrestricted sharing for research without consent, it does not require records to be publicly accessible, and it does not eliminate privacy in emergencies—privacy protections still apply, with specific allowed disclosures.