An optimal code for patient identifiers

descriptionPublicationkeyboard_double_arrow_right Article 01 Jul 2005 English Publisher:Elsevier BVJournal:Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, volume 79, pages 81-88 (issn: 0169-2607,

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Authors: Andreas Faldum; Klaus Pommerening;

doi: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2005.03.004

pmid: 15888350

An optimal code for patient identifiers

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Abstract

How to distinguish 1 billion individuals by an identifier consisting of eight characters, allowing a reasonable amount of error detection or even error correction? Our solution of this problem is an optimal code over a 32-character alphabet that detects up to two errors and corrects one error as well as a transposition of two adjacent characters. The corresponding encoding and error checking algorithms are available for free; they are also embedded as components of the pseudonymisation service that is used in the TMF-the German telematics platform for health research networks.

Related Organizations

Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
Germany

Keywords

Patient Identification Systems, Algorithms, Confidentiality, Mathematics

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