PHI can be disclosed without patient authorization for what purposes?

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations play a crucial role in defining when and how Protected Health Information (PHI) can be disclosed without requiring patient authorization. The correct answer, which focuses on treatment, payment, and operations, emphasizes the core functions of healthcare delivery.

Disclosures made for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations are considered essential for providing care. For example, information may be shared among healthcare providers to coordinate treatment plans or with insurance companies for billing purposes without needing explicit patient consent. Such activities are fundamental to the functioning of the healthcare system and ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate care.

The other options involve scenarios where PHI does not meet the criteria for disclosure without patient authorization under HIPAA. Marketing and fundraising, for example, typically require patient consent because they are not directly related to treatment or necessary operations of healthcare services. Similarly, while research can be conducted using PHI, it typically mandates specific ethics approvals and may require patient authorization unless certain criteria are met, like de-identification of the data. Workforce management may involve handling PHI but does not usually fall under the permissible disclosures without authorization aimed directly at treatment, payment, and operations.