What does the HIPAA Security Rule define "confidentiality" to mean?

The definition of "confidentiality" in the context of the HIPAA Security Rule emphasizes the protection of electronic protected health information (ePHI) from unauthorized access. This principle ensures that sensitive patient information is safeguarded and can only be accessed by individuals who have the legal right to view it, such as healthcare providers or administrative staff who are directly involved in patient care or operations.

By stating that ePHI is not available to unauthorized persons, the emphasis is on preventing any breaches of privacy and maintaining the integrity of sensitive health information. This is crucial within the framework of HIPAA, which aims to create guidelines around the secure handling of health data and protecting patient rights.

The other options either suggest that ePHI can be accessed by unauthorized individuals, suggests a permissive sharing condition without strict guidelines, or imply public access, all of which do not align with the fundamental principles of confidentiality as established by the HIPAA Security Rule.