What are the three methods custodians can use to safeguard PHI?

The correct answer identifies the three recognized methods custodians can use to safeguard Personal Health Information (PHI) as administrative, physical, and technical measures.

Administrative safeguards involve policies and procedures designed to manage the selection, development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures to protect PHI. This includes workforce training, risk assessments, and creating guidelines for the handling of such information.

Physical safeguards refer to measures taken to protect the physical infrastructure that houses PHI, such as secured facilities to limit unauthorized access and procedures for the secure disposal of records. This can include locks, security cameras, and controlled access to sensitive areas.

Technical safeguards focus on technology and the electronic mechanisms used to protect and control access to PHI. This includes encryption, secure user authentication, and auditing controls to monitor who accesses health information.

The other choices incorporate components that do not align with widely accepted methods for safeguarding PHI. For example, emotional and biological elements do not fit within the recognized framework for protecting health information, while ethical considerations, though important, are not classified as a method of safeguarding PHI in this context.