HIPAA in the waiting room

The abbreviation/acronym for the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" is HIPAA.

Imagine walking into a doctor's office and seeing HIPAA referenced as "HIPPA."

Then, on suggesting the office change the offending sign, being told that "HIPPA" was correct!

PHI is "individually identifiable health information transmitted or maintained by a covered entity or its business associates." Photography of other patients by someone in the waiting room may be deemed the creation individually identifiable health information, but it is not maintained by a covered entity. Photography of waiting rooms, unrelated to any patients, is likely not related to PHI or to HIPAA.