Question

As part of a treatment study, you take pictures of newly enrolled participants but do not write their name on the picture, only their study identifier. is this phi?

Answer 1

Yes, that is PHI. It must be remembered that HIPAA, the body that governs PHI allows the use and disclosure of information only in certain and given guidelines of the research plan reviewed and approved by IRB (Institutional Review Board). The best practice is to ensure that a volunteers confidentiality must and always be observed and protected in the course of the research study.