Linkage of social network and healthcare data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving individually identifiable social network data associated with a first user and a second user, the individually identifiable social network data associated with the second user including a social network link with the first user;
receiving individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user identifying a physician of the first user;
de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable social network data associated with the first user to form de-identified social network data associated with the first user by using a hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a first key and replacing data identifying the first user with the first key;
de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user to form de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by using the hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a second key and replacing data identifying the first user with the second key;
identifying de-identified social network data associated with the first user and de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by making a determination that the first key is identical or similar to the second key;
linking the de-identified social network data associated with the first user and the de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user;
de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable social network data associated with the second user to form de-identified social network data associated with the second user; and
outputting the physician of the first user to the second user in response to a determination that the de-identified social network data associated with the second user includes a social network link with the first user and the de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user identifies the physician of the first user.
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Abstract
A system and method for providing an individual with information on the actual healthcare utilization of other members of that individual'"'"'s social network, the method including de-identifying or encrypting individually identifiable social network data associated with a first user, de-identifying or encrypting individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user, and linking the de-identified social network data and the de-identified healthcare transaction data.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving individually identifiable social network data associated with a first user and a second user, the individually identifiable social network data associated with the second user including a social network link with the first user; receiving individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user identifying a physician of the first user; de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable social network data associated with the first user to form de-identified social network data associated with the first user by using a hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a first key and replacing data identifying the first user with the first key; de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user to form de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by using the hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a second key and replacing data identifying the first user with the second key; identifying de-identified social network data associated with the first user and de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by making a determination that the first key is identical or similar to the second key; linking the de-identified social network data associated with the first user and the de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user; de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable social network data associated with the second user to form de-identified social network data associated with the second user; and outputting the physician of the first user to the second user in response to a determination that the de-identified social network data associated with the second user includes a social network link with the first user and the de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user identifies the physician of the first user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system, comprising:
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a social network database for storing; individually identifiable social network data associated with a first user that includes data identifying the first user; and individually identifiable social network data associated with a second user that includes data identifying the first user and a social network link with the first user; a healthcare transaction database for storing individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user that includes data identifying the first user and identifies a physician of the first user; and a processor configured to; de-identify or encrypt the individually identifiable social network data associated with the first user to form de-identified social network data associated with the first user by using a hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a first key and replacing the data identifying the first user with the first key; de-identify or encrypt the individually identifiable healthcare transaction data associated with the first user to form de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by using the hash function or encryption algorithm to generate a second key and replacing the data identifying the first user with the second key; identify de-identified social network data associated with the first user and de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user by making a determination that the first key is identical or similar to the second key; link the de-identified social network data associated with the first user and the de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user; de-identifying or encrypting the individually identifiable social network data associated with the second user to form de-identified social network data associated with the second user; and output the physician of the first user to the second user in response to a determination that de-identified social network data associated with the second user includes a social network link with the first user and de-identified healthcare transaction data associated with the first user identifies the physician of the first user. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification