What is required for the integrity of e-PHI?

For the integrity of electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI), it is essential to confirm that data is accurate and unaltered. This element is critical because maintaining data integrity ensures that the information remains trustworthy and reliable throughout its lifecycle. The integrity of e-PHI means that it has not been improperly modified or destroyed, which is vital for delivering safe and effective healthcare.

In the context of the other options, while regular backups, access control measures, and full encryption play vital roles in overall e-PHI security, they specifically focus on different aspects:

• Regular backups are crucial for data recovery in case of loss or corruption but do not inherently address whether the data has been altered.
• Access control measures protect e-PHI from unauthorized access, ensuring that only authorized individuals can view or modify the data, yet they do not guarantee that the information itself is untouched.
• Full encryption provides confidentiality and protects sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized users, but it does not ensure that the data's accuracy and integrity have been preserved.

Thus, confirming that data is accurate and unaltered directly addresses the integrity requirement for e-PHI.