Sharing Protected Health Information (PHI) with a healthcare provider for individual treatment is a permitted disclosure under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This rule is designed to safeguard patient privacy while allowing necessary information flow for treatment purposes. When healthcare providers share PHI among themselves for the purpose of providing or coordinating care, they are acting within the guidelines established by HIPAA.
This provision ensures that patients receive comprehensive and coordinated care, as it allows providers to access relevant medical histories, medication lists, and other essential data that aid in treatment decisions. This is a critical aspect of effective healthcare delivery where continuity and quality of care are prioritized.
In contrast, the other options involve scenarios that do not align with HIPAA’s regulations. Data sharing with marketing firms, disclosing information for general public health surveys without specific patient consent, and transferring PHI to family members without permission all represent situations where patient privacy rights would be compromised. Thus, they do not qualify as permitted disclosures under the Privacy Rule.