Under the Privacy Rule, what service must a covered entity provide to outline the patient's rights?

The correct answer identifies the requirement under the HIPAA Privacy Rule for covered entities, such as healthcare providers and health plans, to offer patients a clear account of their rights regarding their personal health information. An accounting serves as a formal record of disclosures of a patient’s protected health information (PHI), allowing individuals to see who has accessed their information and for what purposes. This transparency is a cornerstone of patient rights under HIPAA, ensuring that individuals have control and awareness of how their data is being used and shared.

In this context, providing an accounting is essential for empowering patients and fulfilling the obligations of the covered entity. It helps build trust and upholds the patients’ right to access their health information, aligning with the overall goals of HIPAA to protect patient privacy and personal health data.