Privacy entitlement protocols for secure data exchange, collection, monitoring and/or alerting

• US 20060155578A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCulloch, Edgar H. III, Eisenberger, George, Richards, Thomas L. II
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Methods, systems and related computer products for providing entitlement controlled levels of collaborative exchange of data using a computer network of Subscribers and Publishers, are configured to: (a) define a set of different privacy levels, each privacy level having associated data sharing parameters that control a participating Publisher'"'"'s ability to send and a participating Subscriber'"'"'s ability to receive content specific data; and (b) provide an electronic privacy level register that defines the different data sharing parameters for each of the different privacy levels and identifies an associated at least one privacy level for each participating Subscriber and Publisher.

Claims

1. A method for providing controlled levels of collaborative exchange of data using a computer network of registered participating Subscribers and Publishers, comprising:

defining a set of different privacy levels, each privacy level having associated data sharing parameters that electronically control a participating Subscriber'"'"'s ability to receive content specific data from each participating Publisher; and

providing an electronic privacy level register that identifies for each participating Subscriber what the approved privacy levels are as selected from the set of different privacy levels with respect to each participating Publisher to thereby provide an entitlement based controlled electronic data sharing protocol between Subscribers and Publishers.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each Publisher has at least one defined privacy level selected from the set of different privacy levels that controls what data that Publisher can publish to Subscribers.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the collaborative exchange of data is provided using a web based computer network with the electronic privacy level register associated with and/or incorporated in an Administrative Server Web Application that acts as a gatekeeper intermediary between participating Subscribers and Publishers to control data sharing between Publishers and Subscribers.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each Publisher comprises a Publisher Gateway that retains its own repository of electronic patient data records and electronically provides electronic healthcare data to a Message Flow Server that selectively forwards electronic healthcare data from a respective Publisher only to those Subscribers having an appropriate privacy level.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the collaborative exchange of data is for patient healthcare data, wherein the Publishers comprise healthcare providers, and wherein the privacy levels control what Publisher healthcare data can be transmitted to respective Subscribers and what content respective Subscribers can electronically request from Publishers.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an electronic topic catalog of healthcare topics, each topic having an assigned privacy level corresponding to one of the set of different privacy levels so that Subscribers can only request data for those topics at their respective privacy entitlement level and Publishers can only publish data for those topics at their privacy entitlement level.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising automatically electronically routing a Subscriber topic data request for a selected healthcare topic initiated by a Subscriber from the Administrative Server to one or more Publishers if the requesting Subscriber has a privacy level that entitles the Subscriber to have access to healthcare data from one or more Publishers.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the topic catalog is a global catalog of all selectable topics at all different privacy levels.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the Administrative Server is configured to display only those healthcare topics in the electronic topic catalog to a respective Subscriber at a respective web portal that correspond with a Subscriber'"'"'s privacy level.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein an Administrative Server Web Application communicates with the Message Flow Server to selectively forward Publisher healthcare data sent from Publishers only to entitled Subscribers based on Publisher-specific privacy levels defined in the privacy register for each Subscriber.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the privacy level registry comprises a compatibility correlation matrix that correlates a defined privacy level for each healthcare data topic for each Subscriber and for each Publisher.

12. A method according to claim 2, further comprising selectively generating a web portal display for each Publisher that displays only requests for selected healthcare publication topics from Subscribers having a privacy level that is authorized for a respective Publisher.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of different privacy levels comprise a first privacy level that allows only patient de-identified data to be shared between a Publisher and Subscriber and a second privacy level that allows limited patient data to be shared between a Publisher and Subscriber.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising a third privacy level that is non-restrictive as to data content between a Publisher and Subscriber.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing a Subscriber to electronically select a topic of interest from an electronic topic catalog and electronically automatically trigger a request for publication of data related to the topic that is then sent over a computer network to participating Publishers having compliant privacy levels

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising allowing a Subscriber to electronically initiate a new topic data request with desired data constraints that is then automatically electronically stored in the topic catalog if the new topic data request has a privacy level that complies with the Subscriber privacy level.

17. A web based healthcare collaborative data sharing system comprising Subscriber and Publisher participants, the Publishers having at least one defined privacy level for different healthcare data content that establishes a data sharing protocol with Subscribers and the Subscribers having at least one defined privacy level that establishes a data sharing protocol with Publishers, the at least one defined privacy level for Subscribers and Publishers being selected from a set of common defined privacy levels used by the web based system for Subscribers and Publishers.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein each Publisher comprises at least one Publisher Gateway that is configured to receive electronic patient data, automatically electronically reformat the patient data into open standard messages, and automatically electronically store the patient data messages for a desired interval in a respective Publisher message database.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of different privacy levels comprise a first privacy level that allows only patient de-identified data to be shared between a Publisher and Subscriber using the Internet and a second privacy level that allows limited patient data to be shared between a Publisher and Subscriber using the Internet.

20. A system according to claim 17, further comprising a third privacy level that is non-restrictive as to data content between a Publisher and Subscriber, the third privacy level being generally associated with a governmental agency with oversight authority over healthcare providers, and wherein the privacy levels are configured to provide HIPAA privacy compliant data sharing protocols for communications between Publishers to Subscribers over the Internet.

21. A web-based secure data sharing system for providing and controlling collaborative healthcare data sharing between Publisher and Subscribe participants over the Internet, comprising:

a Message Flow Server configured to communicate with participant healthcare Publisher Gateways and Subscribers over the Internet; and

an Administrative Server in communication with the Message Flow Server, the Administrative Server configured to control electronic communications between participating Subscribers and Publishers, wherein each participating Subscriber and Publisher has at least one defined privacy level selected from a defined set of privacy levels, wherein the Administrative Server is in communication with an electronic privacy level register that defines a privacy level for certain types of patient healthcare data, and wherein the system is configured to electronically control the communication between Subscribers and Publishers based on respective defined privacy level(s).

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the Administrative Server and/or the Message Flow Server is in communication with a Subscriber selectable electronic topic catalog database of different healthcare data topics, the different healthcare topics each having an associated privacy level.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the system is configured so that a respective Subscriber can only view topics in the topic catalog for which their privacy level indicates they are entitled to access.

24. A system according to claim 21, wherein the Administrative Server communicates with respective Publishers and Subscribers and the Message Flow Server to selectively automatically electronically forward healthcare publication data for a respective topic received from Publishers to only those Subscribers entitled thereto based on a subscription thereto, the subscription being Subscriber and topic specific based on the privacy level associated with the topic of the healthcare data and the Subscriber privacy level for each Publisher.

25. A system according to claim 21, wherein the Administrative Server is in communication with a compatibility correlation matrix that is configured to automatically electronically prevent unauthorized Subscriber access to Publisher patient healthcare data if the topic and/or requesting Subscriber has a mismatch in privacy level.

26. A healthcare collaborative data sharing computer network system, comprising:

a Message Flow Server;

a plurality of Publisher participants having access to electronic patient healthcare records, each Publisher comprising at least one Publisher Gateway in communication with the Message Flow Server, wherein a respective Publisher Gateway is configured with at least one defined privacy level that electronically controls the Publisher Gateway'"'"'s data sharing protocols with respective Subscribers; and

a plurality of Subscriber participants in communication with the Message Flow Server, each Subscriber having a defined privacy level that electronically controls their access to healthcare data from participating Publishers;

wherein healthcare data related to a healthcare topic is automatically selectively electronically forwarded to a Subscriber from a respective Publisher Gateway by the Message Flow Server only if the Subscriber has a privacy level that entitles the Subscriber to healthcare data for that topic.

27. A system according to claim 26, further comprising an Administrative Server in communication with an electronic user privacy register that defines a level of entitlement for different types of healthcare data for each Subscriber from each Publisher, wherein, in operation, electronic requests for healthcare data related to a healthcare topic are automatically electronically selectively forwarded to respective Publishers by the Administrative Flow Server only if a Subscriber has a privacy level that entitles the Subscriber to healthcare data for that topic.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein the user privacy register comprises an electronic compatibility correlation database that correlates from a defined set of privacy levels, the privacy levels for different healthcare topics for each Publisher and each Subscriber, the system further comprising data sharing rules using the computer network with respect to each privacy level, the data sharing rules configured so that Publishers are compliant with healthcare privacy regulations.

30. A system according to claim 26, wherein the Subscribers are configured to be able to view an electronic topic catalog and select a healthcare topic from an electronic topic catalog associated with the privacy level of the respective Subscriber using a Web Application associated with the Administrative Server.

28. A system according 27, wherein the Administrative Server is configured to only electronically transmit requests for publication of healthcare data from a requesting Subscriber to those Publishers that have not disapproved publications to the requesting Subscriber.

31. A computer program product for controlling data sharing in a collaborative data sharing system using a computer network, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to define at least one privacy level for each Publisher and Subscriber, the at least one privacy level being selected from a global set of defined privacy levels, the different privacy levels associated with different contents of data records;

computer readable program code configured to define data sharing protocols for Subscribers requesting data and Publishers having data based on the defined privacy levels; and

computer readable program code configured to provide a participant registry of Subscribers and Publishers and defined privacy levels thereof.

32. A computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising computer readable program code configured to provide a Subscriber accessible electronic topic catalog of selectable different healthcare topics, each of the selectable topics having a privacy level that is compatible with the respective Subscriber'"'"'s privacy level.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein the data records comprise patient healthcare records, the computer program product further comprising computer readable program code configured to generate a compatibility correlation matrix that defines Subscriber entitlement levels for healthcare data content from different Publishers.