Which statement best describes privacy requirements for patient records?

• A. HIPAA and state privacy laws require confidentiality, proper handling, and access controls.
• B. Privacy is optional for chiropractors practicing in private clinics.
• C. Privacy requirements apply only to hospitals.
• D. Only state privacy laws apply; HIPAA does not.

Answer: (D)

Privacy protections for patient records come from both federal and state law. The federal HIPAA Privacy Rule sets the baseline requirements to keep protected health information confidential, ensure proper handling, and enforce access controls so only authorized individuals can view or modify records. States can and do add stricter protections, but HIPAA never disappears; it provides the nationwide framework that covers all covered entities, which includes chiropractors and private clinics that handle PHI electronically or in other ways. Therefore, privacy is mandatory across settings, not optional and not limited to hospitals.