Disability information or other medical information collected from students to provide services

This section relates to health information that is maintained by campus units. Campus units need to be mindful about the protection of any health information maintained, but the laws that govern the protection will be the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or the California Information Practices Act (IPA).

Medical/Health Information means any information, whether oral or recorded in any form or medium, that:

• Is created or received by a healthcare provider, health plan, public health authority, employer, life insurer, school or university or health care clearinghouse
• Relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual.

Medical information and health insurance information are elements identified in the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) section of this guide as having a high level of sensitivity, which means it requires the highest level of protection.

However, health information which has been de-identified, meaning all PII has been removed, would be much less sensitive, requiring a moderate level of protection.

Examples

The following individually identifiable data elements, when combined with health information about that person, make such information protected health information (PHI):

• Names
• Telephone numbers
• Fax numbers
• Email addresses
• Social Security numbers
• Medical record numbers
• Health plan beneficiary numbers
• License plate numbers
• URLs
• Full-face photographic images
• Any other unique identifying number, characteristic, code, or combination that allows identification of an individual

However, health information that does not include individually identifiable data elements are not PHI. For example, symptoms listed with a patient's age and no other information is not considered PHI.

Additional Resources

Disability Resource Center

UCSC Privacy Office

UCSC Student Health Center Policies

Personally identifiable information (PII)

Protection Level

P4