Which regulatory compliance framework focuses specifically on healthcare information?

The correct answer is HIPAA, as it is specifically designed to protect the privacy and security of individuals' medical information in the healthcare sector. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) set forth national standards for the protection of health information, establishing protocols that healthcare providers, insurers, and their business associates must follow to safeguard sensitive patient data.

HIPAA includes requirements for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic health information, ensuring compliance with user access controls, incident management, and audit processes tailored for healthcare settings. Therefore, it directly addresses the compliance needs of healthcare organizations and their handling of protected health information (PHI).

In contrast, while GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) relates to data protection and privacy, it applies broadly across various sectors in Europe, not just healthcare. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) focuses on protecting credit card information and is relevant to businesses that handle card transactions, while NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) provides a set of cybersecurity standards but is not limited to any one industry, including healthcare. Thus, none of these alternatives address healthcare information specifically as effectively as HIPAA does.