HIPAAmart

HIPAA Glossary

Protected health information (PHI)

Individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by a covered entity or business associate in a form or medium covered by HIPAA.

Reviewed August 2026

Context

PHI is a defined term; whether information is PHI depends on the information, identifiability, and the organization or service involved.

Example

A patient's identifiable diagnosis in a covered provider's record is a common example.

References