Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

What do physical safeguards include?

1. Administrative actions related to workforce conduct.

2. Technical controls to access electronic PHI.

3. Measures to protect systems from environmental hazards.

4. Data management protocols for electronic records.

The correct answer is: Measures to protect systems from environmental hazards.

Physical safeguards are essential components of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), specifically focused on protecting physical environments and ensuring the security of electronic protected health information (PHI) from unauthorized access and environmental threats. The correct choice highlights measures to protect systems from environmental hazards, such as fire, water damage, or unauthorized access to facilities where PHI is stored. This encompasses physical barriers like locks, surveillance cameras, and secure storage areas, which prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to sensitive information and ensure that the physical infrastructure is resilient against potential physical threats. In contrast, the other options pertain to different aspects of information security. Administrative actions related to workforce conduct focus on policies and procedures to manage employee behavior, ensuring that staff adhere to HIPAA regulations and security practices. Technical controls to access electronic PHI relate to password protection, encryption, and other digital security measures, which are not considered physical safeguards. Lastly, data management protocols for electronic records concern how data is organized, stored, and handled, which also falls outside the realm of physical safeguards. Thus, the emphasis on protecting systems from environmental hazards captures the essence of what physical safeguards are designed to achieve within the framework of HIPAA compliance.