What is the purpose of the Security Rule under HIPAA?

The purpose of the Security Rule under HIPAA is to establish national standards for the protection of electronic protected health information (ePHI). This rule creates a framework that healthcare organizations must follow to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI. It requires covered entities and business associates to implement a variety of safeguards, including administrative, physical, and technical measures, to protect ePHI from unauthorized access and breaches.

By creating these standards, the Security Rule helps to ensure that sensitive patient information is adequately protected, thus maintaining patient trust and compliance with federal regulations. The focus on electronic information is crucial, as much of healthcare data is now handled digitally, requiring specific measures to safeguard against modern threats to cybersecurity.

Other options do not accurately reflect the primary intent of the Security Rule. For example, minimizing healthcare costs and enhancing data sharing do not align with the core objective of protecting patient information. Standardizing patient information forms is also outside the scope of what the Security Rule addresses, which is specifically concerned with safeguarding ePHI rather than form standardization.