Disclosures for Emergency Preparedness - A Decision Tool

Limited Data Set (LDS)

A covered entity may disclose a LDS for public health purposes, including those that are emergency preparedness activities. The covered entity must have a data use agreement in order to disclose the LDS.

A LDS is protected health information that excludes the following direct identifiers of the individual or of relatives, employers, or household members of the individual:

Names
Postal address information, other than town or city, State, and zip code
Telephone numbers
Fax numbers
Electronic mail addresses
Social Security numbers
Medical record numbers
Health-plan beneficiary numbers
Account numbers

Certificate and license numbers
Vehicle identifiers and serial numbers, including license plate numbers
Device identifiers and serial numbers
Web Universal Resource Locators (URLs)
Internet Protocol (IP) address numbers
Biometric identifies including fingerprints and voice prints
Full-face photographic images and any comparable image