De-identifying a case formulation is the removal of PHI from a clinician's working theory of a client. The HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 164) governs the data. anonym.plus does the work on your machine, fully offline.
When this applies
You present a formulation at a peer consult. The write-up names the client, family roles, and a workplace, which must be hidden first.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on your device.
- Local OCR reads any scanned page.
- It flags client and family names plus the workplace.
- Review each flag and keep the analytic content.
- Replace each value with a label, or remove it.
- Save the clean write-up. The source stays local.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or scan).
- An operator: Replace, Redact, or Mask.
- Optional: a key map for re-linking.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Client | PERSON | Aaron Cole → [CLIENT_1] |
| Family role | PERSON | father Glen → [FAMILY_1] |
| Workplace | ORGANIZATION | Vista Foods → [EMPLOYER] |
| Date | DATE_TIME | Formulated 02/27/2026 → [DATE] |
| Phone | PHONE_NUMBER | (312) 555 0166 → [PHONE] |
| Record ID | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 64025 → [MRN] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips PHI for the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 164).
- Local only, so the tool itself needs no BAA.
- Drafts are protected with AES-256-GCM.
- Also fits GDPR Art. 9 for EU clients.
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Limitations & cautions
A formulation weaves rich personal context together. The tool removes named identifiers. You still judge whether the woven detail could point back to one client before a peer consult.
Frequently asked questions
Can I present this at a consult?
Yes, once de-identified. With identifiers stripped, the file is no longer PHI and may anchor a peer discussion safely.
Are family roles hidden?
Yes. A named parent, sibling, or partner is an identifier. The tool flags each so the client cannot be traced through family.
Is the file uploaded?
No. The app runs locally. Nothing is sent to a server.