What concept is a guiding principle of the HIPAA Privacy Rule referred to as Minimum?

The guiding principle referred to as Minimum in the HIPAA Privacy Rule pertains to the concept of "Minimum Necessary." This principle mandates that when covered entities or business associates handle protected health information (PHI), they must limit the use or disclosure of this information to the minimum amount necessary to achieve the intended purpose. This is to promote the confidentiality and privacy of individuals' health information and to reduce the risk of unauthorized access or disclosure.

The Minimum Necessary standard is critical in ensuring that health care providers, health plans, and other entities only access or share the least amount of information required to perform their jobs effectively. For example, if a healthcare worker needs to share patient information with another provider for treatment purposes, they should only share the specific information required for that treatment, rather than the entire medical record.

While information, data, and disclosure are related to the general discussion of privacy and confidentiality in health care, they do not directly summarize the core guiding principle that emphasizes limiting the extent of access to PHI. Thus, the concept of Minimum Necessary is central to maintaining patient privacy under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.