Certified Paraoptometric (CPO) Practice Exam 2025

What does the acronym PHI stand for in a healthcare context?

1. Protected Health Information

2. Personal Health Index

3. Physical Health Instruction

4. Patient Health Interaction

The correct answer is: Protected Health Information

The correct answer, Protected Health Information, refers to any information about an individual's health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to a specific person. This type of information is protected under laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, which mandates that such information must be kept confidential and secure to protect patients' privacy. The other options, while they may seem plausible, do not accurately capture the widely recognized meaning of PHI in the healthcare context. Personal Health Index, for instance, suggests a metric or measurement tool but lacks the protective connotation associated with PHI. Physical Health Instruction implies a focus on education or training related to physical health and does not encompass the broader scope of data protection. Patient Health Interaction could relate to communication or engagement in a healthcare setting, but again, it fails to convey the specific legal and privacy considerations that define Protected Health Information.