Which of the following is an example of a private law issue in health information?

• A. A contract between an EHR vendor and a hospital system
• B. A federal regulation on patient privacy
• C. A public health reporting requirement
• D. A criminal penalty for data breach

Answer: (B)

Private law deals with relationships and obligations between private parties rather than with the state. In health information, a contract between an EHR vendor and a hospital system is a private-law issue because it governs the rights, duties, and remedies between two private entities—such as service terms, data handling obligations, and breach remedies.

The other scenarios involve public law: a federal regulation on patient privacy is created and enforced by the government; a public health reporting requirement is a government-imposed duty; a criminal penalty for a data breach is part of criminal law enforced by the state.