What should an access/disclosure audit trail include?

What should an access/disclosure audit trail include?

• A. A record of staff vacation schedules.
• B. A log of who accessed or disclosed PHI, when, and what was accessed.
• C. A daily patient check-in list.
• D. A report of vendor deliveries.

Answer: (B)

Access and disclosure audit trails are about recording who accessed or disclosed PHI, when it happened, and what data was involved. This information is essential for accountability, detecting improper access, and supporting investigations or regulatory compliance. The best choice captures all the key elements: it logs the identity of the person or entity that accessed or disclosed PHI, the exact time of the action, and the specific data or records involved. This level of detail lets security teams trace activities, determine whether access was appropriate, and respond to potential breaches. Other options don’t fit because they relate to activities unrelated to PHI access and disclosures: staff vacation schedules aren’t about data access, a daily patient check-in list concerns operations rather than auditability of PHI, and vendor deliveries don’t reflect who viewed or shared protected health information.

Access and disclosure audit trails are about recording who accessed or disclosed PHI, when it happened, and what data was involved. This information is essential for accountability, detecting improper access, and supporting investigations or regulatory compliance.

The best choice captures all the key elements: it logs the identity of the person or entity that accessed or disclosed PHI, the exact time of the action, and the specific data or records involved. This level of detail lets security teams trace activities, determine whether access was appropriate, and respond to potential breaches.

Other options don’t fit because they relate to activities unrelated to PHI access and disclosures: staff vacation schedules aren’t about data access, a daily patient check-in list concerns operations rather than auditability of PHI, and vendor deliveries don’t reflect who viewed or shared protected health information.