The Security Rule primarily protects which type of information?

The Security Rule, part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), is primarily designed to safeguard electronic personal health information (ePHI). This rule establishes standards for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI that is created, received, maintained, or transmitted by covered entities.

This focus on electronic personal health information is crucial because ePHI includes any health information that can identify an individual and that is stored in electronic form. The Security Rule outlines specific administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that organizations must implement to protect this sensitive data from unauthorized access, breaches, and other risks. By ensuring the protection of ePHI, the rule aims to maintain patient privacy and uphold trust in healthcare practices.

While financial information, employee information, and research data are important in their own contexts, they do not fall under the specific focus of the Security Rule designed for ePHI under HIPAA. The emphasis on protecting individuals' health information is central to the Security Rule’s objectives, making it essential in the realm of healthcare compliance.