While faxing a document with protected health information (PHI), a healthcare worker sends it to an unintended place. What is this an example of?

Sending a document containing protected health information (PHI) to an unintended recipient is classified as an accidental disclosure. This situation occurs without any intent to harm or violate privacy rights. It highlights an error in the process of sending the fax, in which the healthcare worker mistakenly sent the information to the wrong destination.

Accidental disclosures typically arise from mistakes such as entering an incorrect fax number or sending a document at an inappropriate time when safeguards may not be in place, which makes this a clear example of an unintended breach of confidentiality. Although the results can have serious implications for patient privacy, the key factor here is that the breach was not deliberate. This differentiates it from intentional or negligent disclosures, where intent or consistent failure to uphold standards come into play.