Which practice helps prevent HIPAA breaches?

• A. Do not put anything in writing anywhere that you wouldn't want anyone to see
• B. Share patient information with colleagues
• C. Post patient details on social media
• D. Discuss patient cases in public spaces

Answer: (A)

Protecting patient privacy hinges on treating health information as confidential and disclosing it only when it’s needed and through secure means. The best practice here is a simple but powerful guardrail: do not put anything in writing anywhere that you wouldn’t want anyone to see. Written information can be copied, shared, or exposed far beyond the intended recipient, so this mindset helps prevent accidental or unnecessary disclosures and supports the minimum-necessary standard.

In daily care, share PHI only with colleagues who truly need to know to provide care, and only the information that’s necessary. Use secure channels and approved systems for any communication, and keep physical documents protected and out of public view. Avoid discussing patient details in public or semi-public spaces where others could overhear, and resist posting any patient information on social media or otherwise making it widely accessible.

The other actions clearly breach privacy: sharing with colleagues without a legitimate need-to-know, posting patient details publicly, or discussing cases in public spaces all create opportunities for unauthorized access and violate patient confidentiality and HIPAA safeguards.