What actions can a patient take if they wish to dispute a breach of their PHI?

When a patient wishes to dispute a breach of their Protected Health Information (PHI), filing a complaint with the provider is a direct and appropriate action. This step allows the patient to formally notify the healthcare entity about the breach, enabling the provider to investigate the circumstances of the incident. Providers are required to have procedures in place to handle such complaints under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

By initiating this process, the patient can seek resolution and ensure that their rights regarding privacy and security of health information are upheld. In many cases, the provider may take corrective action, implement changes to prevent future incidents, or provide insights into how the breach may have occurred.

While informing the media or contacting law enforcement could be options in certain circumstances, they do not typically serve as the first course of action in disputing a breach of PHI and could complicate matters further. Seeking assistance from a lawyer is also a potential route for a patient, but it is generally more effective to first address the issue directly with the provider, as this allows for resolution within the healthcare system itself before escalating the situation.