Which practice helps ensure data integrity and accountability in data sharing?

• A. Public sharing of raw PHI
• B. Disabling audit trails
• C. Granting unlimited access to all staff
• D. Maintaining audit trails to track access and changes

Answer: (D)

Maintaining audit trails to track access and changes is essential for data sharing because it creates a transparent, auditable record of who accessed data, when, and what actions they took. These logs help protect data integrity by enabling verification that information hasn’t been tampered with and by identifying any unauthorized or inappropriate activity. They also promote accountability, since individuals’ actions can be traced back to specific users, supporting investigations, policy enforcement, and compliance with privacy rules.

Public sharing of raw PHI undermines privacy and security and makes it impossible to trace responsibility or detect misuse. Disabling audit trails removes the visibility needed to monitor activity or detect breaches. Granting unlimited access ignores the principle of least privilege and eliminates accountability, increasing the risk of misuse. In contrast, keeping thorough audit trails provides the necessary visibility to maintain integrity and hold people responsible for their data actions.