De-identification
Also called Anonymization, Pseudonymization
De-identification removes or alters details that identify a patient, such as name, date of birth and record numbers. It lowers risk but rarely removes it.
Why it matters in a workup
Free text, rare conditions and exact dates can re-identify a patient even after names are removed. Under the GDPR, pseudonymized data is still personal data.
Follow your organization's policy on what counts as de-identified for the tool and purpose.
Put it into practice
- Remove direct identifiers
- Check free text for indirect identifiers
- Follow your organization's policy
Frequently asked questions
Is removing the name enough?
Usually not. Dates, places, occupations and rare diagnoses can still identify a patient.
General guidance on clinical documentation, not advice about any individual patient and not legal advice.
Glossary
Look up related terms
- Data processing agreementA data processing agreement is the contract under which a vendor processes personal data for your organization. In US healthcare the equivalent is a BAA.
- Audit trailAn audit trail records who viewed, added, changed, shared or exported a record and when, so access can be reviewed and incidents investigated.