Which privacy obligations guide interpreter practice regarding protected health information and compliance with federal privacy laws?

• A. Share PHI with family members to improve care.
• B. Ignore HIPAA and Title VI if patient consents.
• C. Store notes in unsecured locations after the encounter.
• D. Maintain confidentiality of all PHI; do not disclose information outside the encounter; comply with HIPAA; ensure meaningful language access under Title VI; use secure handling of notes and materials.

Answer: (D)

Protecting patient privacy and following federal privacy laws is foundational to interpreter practice. The best answer recognizes that you must keep all protected health information confidential, disclose nothing outside the encounter unless permitted by law or patient consent, comply with HIPAA, ensure meaningful language access under Title VI, and handle notes and materials securely.

This combination covers the essential duties: confidentiality of PHI, restricted disclosures to what’s legally or consent-based allowed, adherence to HIPAA’s privacy and security requirements, the obligation to provide language access for limited English speakers, and secure storage and handling of notes.

Sharing PHI with family without explicit patient consent would breach confidentiality; ignoring HIPAA or Title VI isn’t appropriate even with consent because these laws set minimum standards you must follow; leaving notes unsecured violates security and privacy protections. In practice, verify consent for disclosures, share only the minimum necessary with authorized individuals, store notes securely, and ensure language access is provided whenever needed.