What type of information is considered protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA guidelines?

Protected Health Information (PHI) includes any information that can be used to identify an individual and that relates to their health condition, the provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare. Under HIPAA guidelines, PHI encompasses a wide range of identifiers that could be tied to an individual's medical records.

An e-mail address is classified as PHI because it can be used to identify someone and is often associated with their healthcare interactions or communications. When healthcare providers use e-mail for patient correspondence, that information is often tied to health data, making it confidential and subject to HIPAA regulations.

In contrast, while state of birth and mother's maiden name may be identifiable information, they do not directly relate to an individual's health status or healthcare provision unless they are used in conjunction with health information. Similarly, while an employment record may contain personal details, it does not pertain directly to health information as defined by HIPAA. Thus, among the given options, an e-mail address clearly aligns with the criteria that classify information as PHI under HIPAA guidelines.