Which HHS Office is charged with protecting an individual patient's health information privacy?

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for protecting an individual patient's health information privacy. It enforces the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, which establishes national standards for the protection of health information. The OCR ensures that individuals' rights to privacy are upheld while also promoting the secure handling of health data by covered entities.