Which method is used to ensure data remains accessible to authorized users when needed?

• A. Integrity
• B. Availability
• C. Confidentiality
• D. Nonrepudiation

Answer: (B)

Availability is the ability for authorized users to access data and systems when needed. In healthcare, keeping systems up and data reachable means clinicians can retrieve patient records, test results, and imaging without delays, even during outages or disruptions. Achieving high availability relies on redundancy (duplicate servers and storage), reliable backups and disaster recovery plans, failover capabilities, and resilient networks, so access is maintained or restored quickly. It’s not about keeping data correct (that’s integrity), nor about preventing unauthorized access (confidentiality), nor about proving who sent or received information (nonrepudiation); it’s about making sure access is possible when it matters.