In the context of EHR, what does 'data breach' refer to?

The term 'data breach' in the context of Electronic Health Records (EHR) specifically refers to unauthorized access and theft of protected health information. This involves a situation where individuals or entities gain inappropriate access to sensitive patient data, such as medical histories, Social Security numbers, or billing information, without permission. This can result from various factors including hacking, insider threats, or inadequate security measures.

A data breach poses significant risks to patient privacy and security, leading to potential identity theft, fraud, and other illicit activities that can harm individuals. It highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity practices and adherence to regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), which are designed to safeguard patient information.

While loss of patient records due to natural disasters, errors in data entry, and delayed access to information can have serious implications for healthcare delivery, they do not fall under the definition of a data breach as they do not involve unauthorized access or theft of sensitive information.