Glossary of Top 45
Security & Privacy Terms

Acceptable Use Policy
Set of rules and guidelines that specify appropriate use of computer systems or networks.

Access Control
Preventing the unauthorized use of health information resources.

Accountability
Makes sure that the actions of a person or agency may be traced to that individual or agency.

Anonymized
Personal information which has been processed to make it impossible to know whose information it is.

Antivirus software
A software program that checks a computer or network to find all major types of harmful software that can damage a computer system.

Audit trail
A record showing specific individuals who have accessed a computer and what they have done while they were in that computer.

Authentication
Verifying the identity of a user, process, or device, before allowing access to resources in an information system.

Backup
A copy of my files made to help regain any lost information in my record if necessary.

Certification
A complete examination of an information system to be sure that the system can perform at the level required to support the intended results and meet the national standards for health information technology.

Confidentiality
Obligation of a person or agency that receives information about an individual, as part of providing a service to that individual, to protect that information from unauthorized persons or unauthorized uses. Confidentiality also includes respecting the privacy interest of the individuals who are associated with that information.

Consent
Consent is the permission granted by an authorized person that allows the provider, agency or organization to release information about a person. The authorized person may be the subject of the information or they may be a designated representative such as a parent or guardian. Law, policy and procedures, and business agreements guide the use of consent.

Data Use Agreement
An agreement between a health provider, agency or organization and a designated receiver of information to allow for the use of limited health information for the purpose of research, public health or health care operations. The agreement assures that the information will be used only for specific purposes.

Decryption
The process used to “unscramble” information so that a “scrambled” or jumbled message becomes understandable.

De-identified Health Information
Name, address, and other personal information are removed when sharing health information, so that it cannot be used to determine who a person is.

Digital Certificate
Like a driver’s license, it proves electronically that the person is who he or she says they are.

Digital Signature
Uniquely identifies one person electronically and is used like a written signature. For example a doctor or nurse may use a digital signature at the end of an email to a patient just as she would sign a letter.

Disclosure
The release, transfer, of information to someone else.

Encryption
The translation of information to a code to keep it secret.

Event
Any observable occurrence in a network or system.

Health Information Privacy
An individual’s right to control the acquiring, use or release of his or her personal health information.

Health Information Security
The protection of a person’s personal information from being shared without the owner’s permission.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
The law Congress passed in 1996 to make sure that health insurance would not stop when he or she changed employer. It also requires that health information be kept private.

Identity
A unique characteristic of an individual person. For example, a driver’s license proves that this person is who he or she says they are.

Inappropriate Usage
Using personal information without that person’s permission.

Incident Response Plan
The instructions or procedures that an organization can use to detect, respond to, and limit the effect of computer system attacks.

Informed Consent
Information exchange between a clinical investigator and research subjects. This exchange may include question/answer sessions, verbal instructions, measures of understanding, and reading and signing informed consent documents and recruitment materials.

Integrity
Data or information that has not been changed or destroyed in an unauthorized way.

Interoperability
The ability of systems or components to exchange health information and to use the information that has been exchanged accurately, securely, and verifiably, when and where needed.

Limited Data Set
Health information that does not contain identifiers. It is protected but may be used for certain purposes without the owner’s consent.

Log In, Logging Into
The action a person must take to confirm his or her identity before being allowed to use a computer system.

Master Patient Index (MPI)
A list of all known patients in an area, activity or organization.

National Provider Identifier (NPI)
A system for classifying all providers of health care services, supplies, and equipment covered under HIPAA.

Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN)
An interoperable, network based on standards that is across the nation and enables the secure exchange of heath information.

Non-Repudiation
The process of confirming proof of information delivery to the sender and proof of sender identity to the recipient.

Notice of Privacy Practices or Privacy Notice
HIPAA requires that all covered health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, or healthcare providers give patients a document that explains their privacy practices and how information about the patients’ medical records may be shared.

Opt-in/Opt-out
Patients or consumers adding or removing themselves.

Patient Permission
The consent or authorization that patients provide regarding their health care or the use of their health information.

Permitted Purposes
Authorized reasons.

Protected Health Information
Health information transmitted or maintained in any form that can reasonably be used to identify an individual.

Safeguards
Measures that protect the security of health information.

Security
Processes, practices and software that secure health information from unauthorized access, ensuring that the information is not altered and that it is accessible when needed by those authorized.

Sensitive Information
Health information such as, details on substance abuse, family planning, mental health and others.

Unauthorized Access
This is the act of gaining access to a network, system, application, health information or other resource without permission.

Unauthorized Disclosure
An act that involves exposing, releasing or displaying health information to those not authorized to have access to the information.

Use
Sharing, employing, applying, utilizing, examining or analyzing health information.

This glossary was developed by the Consumer Engagement and Education Collaborative of the Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) project, funded by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.