Anonymization Protects Patient Information
By Katie Wike, contributing writer
Big data and population health management rely on using patient data to conduct research; anonymization of data makes that process safe for patients by protecting their identifications
When healthcare researchers use patient information it is more important than ever that the data is secure. Between HIPAA regulations and ethics, providers dabbling in population health management need to be particularly careful when using protected patient information.
One solution to this security risk is de-identifying the data, or anonymization. According to Health IT Security, “HIPAA allows health providers and insurers to release patient health information for research use only if the researcher enters into contractual agreements with each individual data-holder or if the data complies with HIPAA’s de-identification standards.”
The de-identification exception to this, however, allows research data to be shared freely.
According to Privacy Analytics, a privacy software company, “Leveraging healthcare data for secondary use can have a positive impact on the efficacy of healthcare service delivery, patient care and population health analysis.” Founder Khaled El Emam told Data Informed, “The trick is to de-identify data not too little or too much. There are many grades in between, and we want to get it just right.”
Providers who are looking for the right balance of de-identification can attend an upcoming webinar hosted by Privacy Analytics. This webinar features segments focusing on applying risk-based approaches to anonymize data based on situational and governing principles of its use; automating statistical de-identification of data sets to maximize the application of business intelligence and predictive software insights; and understanding how other organizations have applied statistical de-identification to data with real-world examples and demos. Part one of the webinar will take place on April 2 at Noon EST. Part two will be held April 23.
According to Privacy Analytics, conducting the webinar will be Luk Arbuckle, Director of Analytics at Privacy Analytics Inc., who also leads a team that assesses re-identification risk in patient data sets, and conducts research in the field of re-identification risk measurement and de-identification methods. Joining him will be Chris Wright, Vice President Marketing for Privacy Analytics.
Register for the webinar HERE