Increasingly stringent data protection regulations, rising rates of cybercrime and the value of sensitive patient/client data often keep it untapped.

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Introduction

The health sector holds vast amounts of sensitive patient/client data, which could prove invaluable for:

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• Improving patient care
• Advancing medical research
• Increasing ROI
• Boosting efficiency

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However, increasingly stringent data protection regulations, rising rates of cybercrime and the value of this data often keep it untapped. Traditionally, data de-identification techniques like data masking and anonymisation have been employed to mitigate privacy concerns. Yet, these methods come with significant drawbacks, making them less effective in fully leveraging healthcare data. Vaultree’s Encrypted Data Sharing (VEDS) technology offers a transformative solution by enabling secure, compliant data sharing without the need for traditional de-identification methods.

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Challenges with Data De-Identification in Healthcare

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Compromised Data Utility

In many instances, healthcare organisations stand to gain significantly from datasets containing real-world evidence (RWE). However, the de-identification process often strips away critical information, drastically reducing the dataset's utility for researchers and hindering its potential benefits. Re-Identification Risk De-identification methods such as anonymisation can be reversed using sophisticated cross-referencing tools, posing a significant threat to individual privacy. Even with the strictest de-identification rules, the inherent risk of re-identification remains a concern, especially when you add in rates of human error.

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Regulatory Complexity

Ensuring compliance with regional data de-identification standards, such as HIPAA and GDPR, adds significant complexity to the data-sharing process. This cross- regional compliance demands extensive resource allocation and discourages organisations from partnering with entities operating under different regulatory frameworks.

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Analytical Constraints

Researchers often struggle to balance the need for comprehensive analysis with maintaining the anonymity of de-identified data, which typically leads to a reduced scope of analytics.

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Cost

Manual de-identification of large datasets is not only time-consuming but also extremely costly. The process requires well-trained annotators, high-quality guidelines and meticulous oversight to ensure accuracy, yet errors still slip through. Studies have shown that manual de-identification can cost significant amounts per data record, making it economically unfeasible for large-scale data sets. The additional costs associated with specialised tools and ongoing re-identification risk mitigation further strain resources, limiting the scalability of de-identification efforts.

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Vaultree Encrypted Data Sharing (VEDS): A Superior Solution

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Persistent Data Protection

VEDS ensures that data remains encrypted throughout its lifecycle—incuse, at rest, in transit, and during processing. This persistent encryption approach provides a level of security that traditional de-identification methods cannot match.

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Preserved Data Utility

VEDS maintains the integrity and utility of healthcare data, enabling complex computations and analytics on encrypted data without compromising privacy. This allows healthcare providers and researchers to gain valuable insights without the risk of exposing sensitive

information.

Simplified Regulatory Compliance

VEDS simplifies adherence to global data protection regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR by ensuring data remains secure and private. This reduces the compliance complexities associated with de-identification practices, making it easier for healthcare organisations to meet regulatory requirements.

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Eliminated Re-Identification Risk

With data continuously encrypted, VEDS eliminates the risk of re-identification, safeguarding against privacy breaches. This robust protection ensures that patient data remains confidential and secure throughout the data sharing and analysis processes.

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Seamless Data Sharing

VEDS revolutionises healthcare data sharing by eliminating the need for de-identification. Organisations can securely share sensitive patient information without the labour-intensive anonymisation process. This simplifies data sharing across entities and regions, reduces time and costs, and enables more efficient and collaborative research efforts.

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Conclusion

Vaultree’s Encrypted Data Sharing (VEDS) provides a robust and comprehensive solution for securely sharing healthcare data, eliminating the need for traditional de-identification techniques. By maintaining data utility, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating re-identification risks, VEDS revolutionises data protection and enables secure, efficient healthcare data sharing. Embrace the future of healthcare data security with Vaultree’s persistent encryption.