What should only be shared in relation to PII and PHI?

Sharing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) should be limited to authorized individuals. This is crucial for ensuring confidentiality and compliance with laws such as HIPAA, which governs the use and disclosure of PHI. Authorized individuals often include healthcare providers, insurers, and those with a legitimate need to know in order to provide care or payment for care. This protection helps safeguard individuals' privacy and maintains trust in the handling of sensitive information.

The importance of restricting access to PII and PHI means that information should not be shared indiscriminately with all interested parties, as this could lead to breaches of privacy and confidentiality. Similarly, it should not be shared based on public requests or for marketing purposes, as such actions could undermine the security of sensitive data and may violate legal and ethical guidelines.