Office Administrative Assistant Practice Exam

Which method of communication is most secure for sending sensitive patient information?

1. Faxing

2. Mailed letter

3. Email with encryption

4. In-person delivery

The correct answer is: Email with encryption

Using email with encryption is considered the most secure method for sending sensitive patient information because encryption adds a layer of protection to the data being transmitted. When emails are encrypted, the content is converted into a code that can only be deciphered by someone with the appropriate key or password. This ensures that even if the email is intercepted during transmission, the information remains unreadable to unauthorized individuals. Furthermore, email can incorporate additional security measures, such as strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, further enhancing the protection of sensitive data. In the context of healthcare, where compliance with regulations such as HIPAA is critical, using encrypted email helps to meet the necessary standards for protecting patient confidentiality and ensuring secure communications. Other methods, while they may offer some security, lack the robust protections provided by encrypted email. For instance, while faxing and in-person delivery are generally considered secure, they can still suffer from potential breaches or human error. A mailed letter, although physical and often more private, is vulnerable to being lost or intercepted without the same level of controls that encryption offers. Thus, encrypted email stands out as the optimal choice for securely transmitting sensitive patient information.