Method, system and computer product for securing patient identity

Abstract

A method for securing patient identity comprising accessing an electronic medical records database including patient data for a plurality of patients. Each patient in the electronic medical records database is assigned a unique patient identifier. Patient data for a first patient, including a first patient identifier, is retrieved from the electronic medical records database. The first patient is de-identified from the patient data. De-identifying includes the creation of a first encoded patient identifier responsive to the first patient identifier. The de-identifying results in de-identified first patient data and includes the replacement of the first patient identifier with the first encoded patient identifier. The de-identified first patient data is transmitted to a data warehouse system. The method further comprises identifying a second patient in response to receiving report data that includes a second encoded patient identifier from the data warehouse system. The identifying includes the creation of a second patient identifier responsive to the second encoded patient identifier.

1 . A method for securing patient identity, the method comprising:
 accessing patient data for a first patient from an electronic medical records database, wherein said patient data for said first patient includes a first patient identifier;
 de-identifying said first patient from said patient data for said first patient including the creation of a first encoded patient identifier responsive to said first patient identifier, wherein said de-identifying results in de-identified first patient data and includes the replacement of said first patient identifier with said first encoded patient identifier, wherein said creation of said first encoded patient identifier includes encoding a password string using a symmetric encryption resulting in said first encoded patient identifier; 
   transmitting said de-identified first patient data to a data warehouse system;   connecting data relating to said first patient in said data warehouse; and   re-identifying said first patient in response to receiving report data including said first encoded patient identifier from said data warehouse system, wherein said identifying includes the recreation of said first patient identifier responsive to said first encoded patient identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said symmetric encryption comprises a block cipher encryption. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said block cipher encryption comprises a two-fish algorithm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said de-identifying further includes removing or transforming identifying data from said patient data for said first patient that may be used to identify said first patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said recreation of said first patient identifier includes accessing an encryption key and applying said encryption key to said first encoded patient identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising retrieving said patient data for said first patient from said electronic medical records database using said first patient identifier as a key into said electronic medical records database. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first patient is re-identified by a patient care provider as part of an at-risk cohort. 
     
     
         8 . A method for securing patient identity, the method comprising:
 accessing patient data for a first patient from an electronic medical records database, wherein said patient data for said first patient includes a first patient identifier;   de-identifying said first patient from said patient data for said first patient including the creation of a first encoded patient identifier responsive to said first patient identifier, wherein said de-identifying results in de-identified first patient data and includes the replacement of said first patient identifier with said first encoded patient identifier, wherein said creation of said first encoded patient identifier includes encoding a password string using a Rivest Shamir and Adelman (RSA) key encryption resulting in said first encoded patient identifier;   transmitting said de-identified first patient data to a data warehouse system;   connecting data relating to said first patient in said data warehouse; and   re-identifying said first patient in response to receiving report data including said first encoded patient identifier from said data warehouse system, wherein said identifying includes the recreation of said first patient identifier responsive to said first encoded patient identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said de-identifying further includes removing or transforming identifying data from said patient data for said first patient that may be used to identify said first patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said recreation of said first patient identifier includes accessing an encryption key and applying said encryption key to said first encoded patient identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising retrieving said patient data for said first patient from said electronic medical records database using said first patient identifier as a key into said electronic medical records database. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said first patient is re-identified by a patient care provider as part of an at-risk cohort. 
     
     
         13 . A computer program product for securing patient identity, the product comprising:
 a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for:
 accessing an electronic medical records database including patient data for plurality of patients, wherein each said patient is assigned a unique patient identifier; 
 retrieving said patient data for a first patient from said electronic medical records database, wherein said patient data for said first patient includes a first patient identifier; 
 de-identifying said first patient from said patient data for said first patient resulting in de-identified first patient data, wherein said de-identifying includes:
 creating a first encoded patient identifier responsive to said first patient identifier, wherein said creating includes: 
 encoding a password string using a symmetric encryption resulting in said first encoded patient identifier; 
 replacing said first patient identifier with said first encoded patient identifier; and 
 
 removing or transforming identifying data from said patient data for said first patient that may be used to identify said first patient; 
 transmitting said de-identified first patient data to a data warehouse system; and 
 re-identifying said first patient in response to receiving report data including said first encoded patient identifier from said data warehouse system, wherein said identifying includes applying a symmetric encryption to said first encoded patient identifier resulting in said first patient identifier. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein said symmetric encryption comprises a block cipher encryption. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein said block cipher encryption comprises a two-fish algorithm. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 13  further comprising retrieving said patient data for said first patient from said electronic medical records database using said first patient identifier as a key into said electronic medical records database. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein said first patient is re-identified by a patient care provider as part of an at-risk cohort. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for securing patient identity, the product comprising:
 a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for:
 accessing an electronic medical records database including patient data for plurality of patients, wherein each said patient is assigned a unique patient identifier; 
 retrieving said patient data for a first patient from said electronic medical records database, wherein said patient data for said first patient includes s a first patient identifier; 
 de-identifying said first patient from said patient data for said first patient resulting in de-identified first patient data, wherein said de-identifying includes:
 creating a first encoded patient identifier responsive to said first patient identifier, wherein said creating includes: 
 encoding a password string using a Rivest Shamir and Adelman (RSA) key encryption resulting in said first encoded patient identifier; 
 replacing said first patient identifier with said first encoded patient identifier; and 
 
 removing or transforming identifying data from said patient data for said first patient that may be used to identify said first patient; 
 transmitting said de-identified first patient data to a data warehouse system; and 
 re-identifying said first patient in response to receiving report data including said first encoded patient identifier from said data warehouse system, wherein said identifying includes applying a Rivest Shamir and Adelman (RSA) key encryption to said first encoded patient identifier resulting in said first patient identifier. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18  further comprising retrieving said patient data for said first patient from said electronic medical records database using said first patient identifier as a key into said electronic medical records database. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said first patient is re-identified by a patient care provider as part of an at-risk cohort. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein said first patient is re-identified by a patient care provider as part of an at-risk cohort.