Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

In accordance with the "minimum necessary" policy, what can an office leave on voicemail?

1. The patient's full medical history

2. The date, time, and doctor's name

3. Specific details about a treatment plan

4. The patient's social security number

The correct answer is: The date, time, and doctor's name

The "minimum necessary" policy under HIPAA emphasizes that when disclosing protected health information (PHI), healthcare providers should limit the information to the minimum needed to achieve the purpose of the communication. When it comes to leaving a message on voicemail, the details shared should be minimal to protect patient privacy. In this scenario, leaving the date, time, and doctor's name is in compliance with the "minimum necessary" standard as it does not disclose specific patient information or sensitive medical details. This information is sufficiently limited and provides context for the patient without compromising their privacy or revealing any sensitive health information. In contrast, sharing a patient's full medical history, specific treatment plan details, or social security number would not align with the "minimum necessary" principle. These types of information are considered sensitive and could potentially compromise a patient's privacy, making them inappropriate for a voicemail message. Thus, limiting the information to just the date, time, and doctor's name effectively meets the standards of privacy and confidentiality mandated by HIPAA.