HIPAA Glossary · Privacy Rule concepts
Minimum necessary
The standard requiring uses, disclosures, and requests to be limited to the least PHI needed for the purpose.
Context
Required by §164.502(b). Does not apply to disclosures to or requests from a provider for treatment, to the individual, or where the use is authorised by the individual. Operationally, minimum necessary is modelled by role-based access and permission scoping — a billing clerk should not need the full clinical history to process a claim.
Related terms
- TPO — The three purposes for which PHI may be used and disclosed without patient authorisation.
- Authorisation — The signed, specific permission required for uses and disclosures beyond what the Privacy Rule permits.
Where this fits
This is one of 50+ terms in the HIPAA Glossary. For how HIPAA is structured end-to-end, see the Security Rule guide and the Privacy Rule guide.