Which of the following scenarios would qualify as a violation of HIPAA?

Both disclosing protected health information (PHI) without patient consent and discussing patient care in a public area qualify as violations of HIPAA because they compromise the patient's privacy and confidentiality rights.

Disclosing PHI without the patient’s consent is a fundamental breach of HIPAA regulations. The law establishes strict requirements for how PHI can be accessed and shared, emphasizing the need for explicit consent from the patient for any disclosure of their health information. This rule ensures that patients have control over who receives their personal health data.

Discussing patient care in a public area also constitutes a violation because it puts patient information at risk of being overheard by unauthorized individuals. HIPAA mandates that reasonable safeguards be in place to protect PHI from being accessed or disclosed inappropriately. Engaging in conversations about patient care in settings where the information can be easily overheard fails to meet the confidentiality requirements set forth by HIPAA.

Both of these scenarios highlight the critical importance of maintaining the privacy and security of patient information, which is a cornerstone of HIPAA compliance.