What is an example of a technical safeguard under HIPAA?

The correct answer highlights a crucial aspect of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that focuses on protecting electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). Encryption of ePHI during transmission or storage is a robust technical safeguard designed to protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive health data.

When ePHI is encrypted, even if it is intercepted during transit or accessed without authorization when stored, it remains unintelligible to unauthorized users. This means that in the event of a data breach or unauthorized access, the encrypted information cannot be exploited, thereby significantly reducing the risk of harm to individuals whose data is involved.

The other choices reflect important security practices but align with different categories of safeguards. For example, creating a facility security plan and restricting employee access to records are considered administrative and physical safeguards, respectively, rather than technical safeguards. Conducting risk assessments also falls under administrative safeguards, as it involves evaluating potential risks to ePHI and implementing measures to mitigate those risks.